Fireside (https://fireside.fm)Watch Out for Fireballs!https://www.watchoutforfireballs.com/
Thu, 15 Feb 2018 15:00:00 -0500Watch Out for Fireballs! is a game club podcast, focused on retro and non-current games. Every week, we play a game in its entirety, then discuss its merits and flaws at length. Most episodes begin with a short sketch, and we're pretty liberal about keeping tangents in. But it ultimately comes down to: Why do we like (or dislike?) this game.
en-usepisodicA retro and non-current games podcastDuckfeed.tvWatch Out for Fireballs! is a game club podcast, focused on retro and non-current games. Every week, we play a game in its entirety, then discuss its merits and flaws at length. Most episodes begin with a short sketch, and we're pretty liberal about keeping tangents in. But it ultimately comes down to: Why do we like (or dislike?) this game.
noDuckfeed.tvkole@duckfeed.tvEpisode 185: Titanfall 2https://www.watchoutforfireballs.com/185
a9705af6-e5db-410f-9b6c-04cb23019429Thu, 15 Feb 2018 15:00:00 -0500Duckfeed.tvfullDuckfeed.tvWill you learn to love a weapon? No, no you won't.2:40:43noWill you learn to love a weapon? No, no you won't. However, you will love the way Titanfall 2 feels to play. The way it handles shooting and movement is something to behold. Though the story leaves a lot to be desired, the game's standout levels and breezy pace made this a perfect conclusion to Mech Month.
Will you learn to love a weapon? No, no you won't. However, you will love the way Titanfall 2 feels to play. The way it handles shooting and movement is something to behold. Though the story leaves a lot to be desired, the game's standout levels and breezy pace made this a perfect conclusion to Mech Month.

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Will you learn to love a weapon? No, no you won't. However, you will love the way Titanfall 2 feels to play. The way it handles shooting and movement is something to behold. Though the story leaves a lot to be desired, the game's standout levels and breezy pace made this a perfect conclusion to Mech Month.

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Episode 184: Armored Core: For Answerhttps://www.watchoutforfireballs.com/184
fb812b50-a938-4ab1-b63f-bfd0f8eda905Thu, 08 Feb 2018 08:45:00 -0500Duckfeed.tvfullDuckfeed.tvBefore Souls, FromSoft made Armored Core. And this is our first real exposure to it.2:40:49noBefore Souls, FromSoft made Armored Core. And this is our first real exposure to it... and it turns out it's very good. Despite outward appearances, there's a good deal of variety in the Armored Core series, with For Answer being the fastest and most action-oriented among them. But it retains that important element of mecha customization that lets you tailor your character to the situation and your play preferences. Listen in, and see if this forgotten game is for you.
Before Souls, FromSoft made Armored Core. And this is our first real exposure to it... and it turns out it's very good. Despite outward appearances, there's a good deal of variety in the Armored Core series, with For Answer being the fastest and most action-oriented among them. But it retains that important element of mecha customization that lets you tailor your character to the situation and your play preferences. Listen in, and see if this forgotten game is for you.

]]>
Before Souls, FromSoft made Armored Core. And this is our first real exposure to it... and it turns out it's very good. Despite outward appearances, there's a good deal of variety in the Armored Core series, with For Answer being the fastest and most action-oriented among them. But it retains that important element of mecha customization that lets you tailor your character to the situation and your play preferences. Listen in, and see if this forgotten game is for you.

]]>
Episode 183: Jumping Flash!https://www.watchoutforfireballs.com/183
eaf91487-b6cc-4893-b176-4aced941f618Thu, 01 Feb 2018 10:00:00 -0500Duckfeed.tvfullDuckfeed.tvLet's take it way back to the earliest days of 3D platforming. It's everyone's favorite failed mascot: Robbit! (Pronunciation yet to be determined).1:42:34noLet's take it way back to the earliest days of 3D platforming. It's everyone's favorite failed mascot: Robbit! (Pronunciation yet to be determined). The story of Jumping Flash! is kind of sad, because it nailed so much about how to make a platformer feel good... then just kind of went away. It's an evolutionary dead end that lives as a footnote about the PlayStation, and little more. But you shouldn't ignore it.
Let's take it way back to the earliest days of 3D platforming. It's everyone's favorite failed mascot: Robbit! (Pronunciation yet to be determined). The story of Jumping Flash! is kind of sad, because it nailed so much about how to make a platformer feel good... then just kind of went away. It's an evolutionary dead end that lives as a footnote about the PlayStation, and little more. But you shouldn't ignore it.]]>
Let's take it way back to the earliest days of 3D platforming. It's everyone's favorite failed mascot: Robbit! (Pronunciation yet to be determined). The story of Jumping Flash! is kind of sad, because it nailed so much about how to make a platformer feel good... then just kind of went away. It's an evolutionary dead end that lives as a footnote about the PlayStation, and little more. But you shouldn't ignore it.]]>
Listener Responses: January 2018 (WarioWare, Child of Light, Dungeon Keeper)https://www.watchoutforfireballs.com/jan2018
e5c45335-3237-473d-8162-7e773d0ef929Thu, 25 Jan 2018 10:00:00 -0500Duckfeed.tvfullDuckfeed.tvWe read your responses about our three games from January, and discuss the new FromSoft announcements and how they effect our plans.44:49noWe read your responses about our three games from January, and discuss the new FromSoft announcements and how they effect our plans.
We read your responses about our three games from January, and discuss the new FromSoft announcements and how they effect our plans.]]>
We read your responses about our three games from January, and discuss the new FromSoft announcements and how they effect our plans.]]>
Episode 182: Dungeon Keeperhttps://www.watchoutforfireballs.com/182
c9e60868-96a7-4e3a-8d6e-057198480aacThu, 18 Jan 2018 19:00:00 -0500Duckfeed.tvfullDuckfeed.tvIt's good to be bad.2:32:28noIt's good to be bad. I'm pretty sure that's the tagline from something, but I don't want to look it up. This week we take a look at Bullfrog's evil overlord simulator Dungeon Keeper. It occupies a nebulous place somewhere between an RTS and a simulation, and kind of suffers for that. But its theming is pitch perfect, and it gets tons of points for creativity. Listen in to find out more.
It's good to be bad. I'm pretty sure that's the tagline from something, but I don't want to look it up. This week we take a look at Bullfrog's evil overlord simulator Dungeon Keeper. It occupies a nebulous place somewhere between an RTS and a simulation, and kind of suffers for that. But its theming is pitch perfect, and it gets tons of points for creativity. Listen in to find out more.

]]>
It's good to be bad. I'm pretty sure that's the tagline from something, but I don't want to look it up. This week we take a look at Bullfrog's evil overlord simulator Dungeon Keeper. It occupies a nebulous place somewhere between an RTS and a simulation, and kind of suffers for that. But its theming is pitch perfect, and it gets tons of points for creativity. Listen in to find out more.

]]>
Episode 181: Child of Lighthttps://www.watchoutforfireballs.com/181
ad229593-3b5d-4ce9-b394-8d3180737955Thu, 11 Jan 2018 14:00:00 -0500Duckfeed.tvfullDuckfeed.tvA muddled game that gets the blame, which truly is a crying shame.2:46:54noA muddled game that gets the blame, which truly is a crying shame. This week we talk about Child of Light, a recent smaller title from Ubisoft that takes RPG mechanics, slaps a very pretty coat of paint over them, and saddles them with a rhyming gimmick that sinks the story. Listen in to hear us mull over exactly how this is a confused product that can get some things right but still fall pretty far short.
Special thanks to ZChocobo for executive producing this episode!
A muddled game that gets the blame, which truly is a crying shame. This week we talk about Child of Light, a recent smaller title from Ubisoft that takes RPG mechanics, slaps a very pretty coat of paint over them, and saddles them with a rhyming gimmick that sinks the story. Listen in to hear us mull over exactly how this is a confused product that can get some things right but still fall pretty far short.

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A muddled game that gets the blame, which truly is a crying shame. This week we talk about Child of Light, a recent smaller title from Ubisoft that takes RPG mechanics, slaps a very pretty coat of paint over them, and saddles them with a rhyming gimmick that sinks the story. Listen in to hear us mull over exactly how this is a confused product that can get some things right but still fall pretty far short.

]]>
Episode 180: WarioWarehttps://www.watchoutforfireballs.com/180
b8df6538-7e9b-4c4f-a49d-5373a9ebd33fThu, 04 Jan 2018 19:00:00 -0500Duckfeed.tvfullDuckfeed.tvNintendo went a little crazy, and we all benefitted.1:25:02noNintendo went a little crazy, and we all benefitted. This live episode from the Portland Retro Gaming Expo 2017 is all about the stinky vice goblin Wario, his friends, and the bonkers games they made. We cover the entire series, hitting all of the ways it evolved to match Nintendo's wacky platforms. Then we talk about the experience of this year's convention, and share some stories from the floor.
We'd like to extend a huge thanks to the people who came out to see us, Brayton and Nick for helping us at the booth, and the Retornauts for sharing our booth with us.
Nintendo went a little crazy, and we all benefitted. This live episode from the Portland Retro Gaming Expo 2017 is all about the stinky vice goblin Wario, his friends, and the bonkers games they made. We cover the entire series, hitting all of the ways it evolved to match Nintendo's wacky platforms. Then we talk about the experience of this year's convention, and share some stories from the floor.

We'd like to extend a huge thanks to the people who came out to see us, Brayton and Nick for helping us at the booth, and the Retornauts for sharing our booth with us.

]]>
Nintendo went a little crazy, and we all benefitted. This live episode from the Portland Retro Gaming Expo 2017 is all about the stinky vice goblin Wario, his friends, and the bonkers games they made. We cover the entire series, hitting all of the ways it evolved to match Nintendo's wacky platforms. Then we talk about the experience of this year's convention, and share some stories from the floor.

We'd like to extend a huge thanks to the people who came out to see us, Brayton and Nick for helping us at the booth, and the Retornauts for sharing our booth with us.

]]>
December 2017 Listener Responseshttps://www.watchoutforfireballs.com/december2017
b89a38a4-2150-4f17-9a4c-3df510ff67f9Thu, 28 Dec 2017 17:00:00 -0500Duckfeed.tvfullDuckfeed.tvMore people wrote in to talk about the Witcher 3 than any other game on WOFF! And in this episode, we get to the business of hearing the praise and damnation.1:25:04noMore people wrote in to talk about the Witcher 3 than any other game on WOFF! And in this episode, we get to the business of hearing the praise and damnation.
More people wrote in to talk about the Witcher 3 than any other game on WOFF! And in this episode, we get to the business of hearing the praise and damnation.

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Episode 179: The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt - Secondary Questshttps://www.watchoutforfireballs.com/179
c5852676-0f7b-4057-b484-98087c3e69e8Thu, 21 Dec 2017 05:00:00 -0500Duckfeed.tvfullDuckfeed.tvThe majority of this game is secondary quests... so it makes sense that our episode about those quests would be one of our longest yet.3:42:09noThe majority of this game is secondary quests... so it makes sense that our episode about those quests would be one of our longest yet.
In this episode, we cover Contracts, Scavenger Hunts, Races, Brawling, Gwent, and all kinds of Secondary Quests.
Huge thanks to Will Hughes for coming on to talk about Gwent!
The majority of this game is secondary quests... so it makes sense that our episode about those quests would be one of our longest yet.

In this episode, we cover Contracts, Scavenger Hunts, Races, Brawling, Gwent, and all kinds of Secondary Quests.

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Episode 178: The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt - Main Quest (Part 2)https://www.watchoutforfireballs.com/178
4cbd18ab-d223-4d28-8d8f-d575746c5cddThu, 14 Dec 2017 18:00:00 -0500Duckfeed.tvfullDuckfeed.tvFrom Skellige to realms even further beyond, we recover Ciri and put an end to the Wild Hunt once and for all.3:03:14noFrom Skellige to realms even further beyond, we recover Ciri and put an end to the Wild Hunt once and for all.
The next episode will cover the many side quests in the game. You should listen in!
From Skellige to realms even further beyond, we recover Ciri and put an end to the Wild Hunt once and for all.

The next episode will cover the many side quests in the game. You should listen in!

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Episode 177: The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt - Main Quest (Part 1)https://www.watchoutforfireballs.com/177
65929292-0339-4fb2-91d4-9f63f7c496a2Thu, 07 Dec 2017 18:00:00 -0500Duckfeed.tvfullDuckfeed.tvLet us walk the path.3:01:28noLet us walk the path. This episode about the excellent Witcher 3 covers the first half of the main quest, up until the departure to Skellige.
Let us walk the path. This episode about the excellent Witcher 3 covers the first half of the main quest, up until the departure to Skellige.

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Episode 176: The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt - Basicshttps://www.watchoutforfireballs.com/176
c2efdd3a-b1e2-4173-8474-3ab5d5b47bc6Thu, 30 Nov 2017 13:00:00 -0500Duckfeed.tvfullDuckfeed.tvWelcome to the big show.2:11:59noWelcome to the big show. And we mean big. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is the largest, densest game we've covered on Watch Out for Fireballs!. In fact, there's so much going on here that we're dividing the coverage up into four episodes, with this first installment being two hours dedicated solely to the mechanics and generalities of the game.
Don't worry if you've never played a Witcher game before, or read a Witcher book. The Witcher 3 is excellent and self-contained enough to warrant your serious attention.
Here's the rough schedule of how we're going to break the episodes down. This might be subject to change.
Basics
Prologue, Velen, Novigrad
Skellige, Endgame, Contracts
Secondary Quests
Listener Responses
Welcome to the big show. And we mean big. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is the largest, densest game we've covered on Watch Out for Fireballs!. In fact, there's so much going on here that we're dividing the coverage up into four episodes, with this first installment being two hours dedicated solely to the mechanics and generalities of the game.

Don't worry if you've never played a Witcher game before, or read a Witcher book. The Witcher 3 is excellent and self-contained enough to warrant your serious attention.

Here's the rough schedule of how we're going to break the episodes down. This might be subject to change.

Basics

Prologue, Velen, Novigrad

Skellige, Endgame, Contracts

Secondary Quests

Listener Responses

]]>
Welcome to the big show. And we mean big. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is the largest, densest game we've covered on Watch Out for Fireballs!. In fact, there's so much going on here that we're dividing the coverage up into four episodes, with this first installment being two hours dedicated solely to the mechanics and generalities of the game.

Don't worry if you've never played a Witcher game before, or read a Witcher book. The Witcher 3 is excellent and self-contained enough to warrant your serious attention.

Here's the rough schedule of how we're going to break the episodes down. This might be subject to change.

Basics

Prologue, Velen, Novigrad

Skellige, Endgame, Contracts

Secondary Quests

Listener Responses

]]>
Listener Responses: November 2017https://www.watchoutforfireballs.com/november2017
d6784f6d-fdae-4b65-9fa7-ffde2e011f39Thu, 23 Nov 2017 11:30:00 -0500Duckfeed.tvfullDuckfeed.tvNovember turned out to be a bit of a club banger, with three big, good, and otherwise important games. Let's find out what the listeners thought of Transistor, Thimbleweed Park, and ActRaiser.51:48noNovember turned out to be a bit of a club banger, with three big, good, and otherwise important games. Let's find out what the listeners thought of Transistor, Thimbleweed Park, and ActRaiser.
November turned out to be a bit of a club banger, with three big, good, and otherwise important games. Let's find out what the listeners thought of Transistor, Thimbleweed Park, and ActRaiser.

]]>
Episode 175: ActRaiserhttps://www.watchoutforfireballs.com/175
793256a8-d46c-40cd-a4bc-9eb59c6574a9Thu, 16 Nov 2017 14:15:00 -0500Duckfeed.tvfullDuckfeed.tvA little bit of this, a little bit of that.1:54:28noA little bit of this, a little bit of that. Kole and Gary talk about Actraiser, an early SNES game that mashes up two disparate gameplay modes. On one hand, you have some Castlevania-like platforming. On the other, you've got a simulation god game where you fight demons and watch your kingdom grow. How do they work together? How does everything fit? Does it hold up?
A little bit of this, a little bit of that. Kole and Gary talk about Actraiser, an early SNES game that mashes up two disparate gameplay modes. On one hand, you have some Castlevania-like platforming. On the other, you've got a simulation god game where you fight demons and watch your kingdom grow. How do they work together? How does everything fit? Does it hold up?

]]>
A little bit of this, a little bit of that. Kole and Gary talk about Actraiser, an early SNES game that mashes up two disparate gameplay modes. On one hand, you have some Castlevania-like platforming. On the other, you've got a simulation god game where you fight demons and watch your kingdom grow. How do they work together? How does everything fit? Does it hold up?

]]>
Episode 174: Thimbleweed Parkhttps://www.watchoutforfireballs.com/174
28cfc83c-cdf1-4ace-9bbe-4c8d379f0b66Thu, 09 Nov 2017 19:00:00 -0500Duckfeed.tvfullDuckfeed.tvDon't be a tuna head. Play this game.2:19:50noWe're unabashed in our love of Maniac Mansion and other early LucasArts adventure games. So it shouldn't be a surprise that we jumped all over the Thimbleweed Park Kickstarter when it was announced. And we were right to do so, because Ron Gilbert, Gary Winnick, and company have made something truly great in Thimbleweed Park. It feels right at home with those older games, but has a level of complexity and care that makes it feel very modern too. It's a delight to talk about something so special.
We're unabashed in our love of Maniac Mansion and other early LucasArts adventure games. So it shouldn't be a surprise that we jumped all over the Thimbleweed Park Kickstarter when it was announced. And we were right to do so, because Ron Gilbert, Gary Winnick, and company have made something truly great in Thimbleweed Park. It feels right at home with those older games, but has a level of complexity and care that makes it feel very modern too. It's a delight to talk about something so special.

]]>
We're unabashed in our love of Maniac Mansion and other early LucasArts adventure games. So it shouldn't be a surprise that we jumped all over the Thimbleweed Park Kickstarter when it was announced. And we were right to do so, because Ron Gilbert, Gary Winnick, and company have made something truly great in Thimbleweed Park. It feels right at home with those older games, but has a level of complexity and care that makes it feel very modern too. It's a delight to talk about something so special.

]]>
Episode 173: Transistorhttps://www.watchoutforfireballs.com/173
3e337df9-f77b-483b-af64-a6291cf5c147Thu, 02 Nov 2017 12:00:00 -0400Duckfeed.tvfullDuckfeed.tvI'm going to break its heart.2:35:40noGary and Kole load up Transistor and break their way through it, having a very good time in the process. Transistor is still new enough to be a little controversial. People came to it from Bastion, the previous Supergiant game, and didn't know what to make of its semi-turn-based combat and technical aesthetic. If you can reconfigure your expectations, you'll find a game that allows for an absurd degree of player expression through combat verbs. Also, it's an incredibly touching love story.
Gonna be honest, this is the most we've gushed about a game in a long time.
Huge thanks to Jon C. Bird for executive producing this episode!
Gary and Kole load up Transistor and break their way through it, having a very good time in the process. Transistor is still new enough to be a little controversial. People came to it from Bastion, the previous Supergiant game, and didn't know what to make of its semi-turn-based combat and technical aesthetic. If you can reconfigure your expectations, you'll find a game that allows for an absurd degree of player expression through combat verbs. Also, it's an incredibly touching love story.

Gonna be honest, this is the most we've gushed about a game in a long time.

]]>
Gary and Kole load up Transistor and break their way through it, having a very good time in the process. Transistor is still new enough to be a little controversial. People came to it from Bastion, the previous Supergiant game, and didn't know what to make of its semi-turn-based combat and technical aesthetic. If you can reconfigure your expectations, you'll find a game that allows for an absurd degree of player expression through combat verbs. Also, it's an incredibly touching love story.

Gonna be honest, this is the most we've gushed about a game in a long time.

]]>
Listener Responses: October 2017 (Resident Evil Month)https://www.watchoutforfireballs.com/october-2017
5ce082b8-3038-4a0f-bcdc-20e480ada2b9Thu, 26 Oct 2017 18:00:00 -0400Duckfeed.tvfullDuckfeed.tvWe found a filthy notebook full of people's thoughts on the Resident Evil games we covered. Let us peer within.34:57noWe found a filthy notebook full of people's thoughts on the Resident Evil games we covered. Let us peer within.
We found a filthy notebook full of people's thoughts on the Resident Evil games we covered. Let us peer within.]]>
We found a filthy notebook full of people's thoughts on the Resident Evil games we covered. Let us peer within.]]>
Episode 172: Resident Evil 7: biohazardhttps://www.watchoutforfireballs.com/172
5cc665da-e8c8-4ca4-9be3-be0d732e6b70Thu, 19 Oct 2017 05:00:00 -0400Duckfeed.tvfullDuckfeed.tvResident Evil month rounds out with a very new, very good game.2:59:50noResident Evil month rounds out with a very new, very good game. Something has twisted the Bakers. Ethan Winters just wants to rescue his missing wife, but he's welcomed into the family instead. Resident Evil 7 is a radical departure for the series, moving gameplay to the first person perspective. However, in a lot of ways it's a return to form. Claustrophobic and dreadful, RE7 is the reboot this series desperately needed.
Resident Evil month rounds out with a very new, very good game. Something has twisted the Bakers. Ethan Winters just wants to rescue his missing wife, but he's welcomed into the family instead. Resident Evil 7 is a radical departure for the series, moving gameplay to the first person perspective. However, in a lot of ways it's a return to form. Claustrophobic and dreadful, RE7 is the reboot this series desperately needed.]]>
Resident Evil month rounds out with a very new, very good game. Something has twisted the Bakers. Ethan Winters just wants to rescue his missing wife, but he's welcomed into the family instead. Resident Evil 7 is a radical departure for the series, moving gameplay to the first person perspective. However, in a lot of ways it's a return to form. Claustrophobic and dreadful, RE7 is the reboot this series desperately needed.]]>
Episode 171: Resident Evil: Code: Veronicahttps://www.watchoutforfireballs.com/171
ba8403c6-b730-43af-8125-3577e800db00Thu, 12 Oct 2017 17:00:00 -0400Duckfeed.tvfullDuckfeed.tvUndead outbreaks are a family affair.3:08:24noUndead outbreaks are a family affair in this canonical follow-up to the story of Resident Evil 2. Claire Redfield has declared war on the Umbrella Corporation, but she has also gotten in over her head. Trapped in the twisted world of Alfred Ashford, the scion of one of the founding families of Umbrella, she has to work with her brother to escape and set things right. Problem is, this is a very sloppy Resident Evil game. Listen in to find out how.
Undead outbreaks are a family affair in this canonical follow-up to the story of Resident Evil 2. Claire Redfield has declared war on the Umbrella Corporation, but she has also gotten in over her head. Trapped in the twisted world of Alfred Ashford, the scion of one of the founding families of Umbrella, she has to work with her brother to escape and set things right. Problem is, this is a very sloppy Resident Evil game. Listen in to find out how.

]]>
Undead outbreaks are a family affair in this canonical follow-up to the story of Resident Evil 2. Claire Redfield has declared war on the Umbrella Corporation, but she has also gotten in over her head. Trapped in the twisted world of Alfred Ashford, the scion of one of the founding families of Umbrella, she has to work with her brother to escape and set things right. Problem is, this is a very sloppy Resident Evil game. Listen in to find out how.

]]>
Episode 170: Resident Evil 3: Nemesishttps://www.watchoutforfireballs.com/170
9b1d4b85-9d15-466c-a55b-e2e37781cd00Thu, 05 Oct 2017 17:00:00 -0400Duckfeed.tvfullDuckfeed.tvResident Evil month begins with a bang, just like Nemesis does.2:26:46noResident Evil month begins with a bang, just like Nemesis does.
Capcom was in a weird spot. They were developing several Resident Evil games at the same time, trying to make hay of a popular series while also preparing for the next generation of consoles. From that shuffle came what might be the most mechanically sound classic Resident Evil game. Nemesis is rich with ideas and also kind to the player, introducing a dodge mechanic and ammo crafting to make the game empowering while keeping it challenging. Guys, Nemesis is great.
Resident Evil month begins with a bang, just like Nemesis does.

Capcom was in a weird spot. They were developing several Resident Evil games at the same time, trying to make hay of a popular series while also preparing for the next generation of consoles. From that shuffle came what might be the most mechanically sound classic Resident Evil game. Nemesis is rich with ideas and also kind to the player, introducing a dodge mechanic and ammo crafting to make the game empowering while keeping it challenging. Guys, Nemesis is great.

Capcom was in a weird spot. They were developing several Resident Evil games at the same time, trying to make hay of a popular series while also preparing for the next generation of consoles. From that shuffle came what might be the most mechanically sound classic Resident Evil game. Nemesis is rich with ideas and also kind to the player, introducing a dodge mechanic and ammo crafting to make the game empowering while keeping it challenging. Guys, Nemesis is great.

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Listener Responses: September 2017 (Bat Month)https://www.watchoutforfireballs.com/september-2017
c90df45c-05a9-4606-873d-fee8ec796712Thu, 28 Sep 2017 14:00:00 -0400Duckfeed.tvfullDuckfeed.tvTune your bat radios to our bat frequency to hear your bat thoughts.1:01:23noTune your bat radios to our bat frequency to hear your bat thoughts.
Tune your bat radios to our bat frequency to hear your bat thoughts.]]>
Tune your bat radios to our bat frequency to hear your bat thoughts.]]>
Episode 169: Batman: Arkham Asylum (Part 2)https://www.watchoutforfireballs.com/169
6ff6d92d-aa33-49d9-9eeb-c5f01f2fc866Thu, 21 Sep 2017 14:00:00 -0400Duckfeed.tvfullDuckfeed.tvOur discussion of Batman: Arkham Asylum continues (and concludes).1:41:58noOur discussion of Batman: Arkham Asylum continues (and concludes). Next week, we'll hear your responses to the games we covered during Bat Month!
Our discussion of Batman: Arkham Asylum continues (and concludes). Next week, we'll hear your responses to the games we covered during Bat Month!]]>
Our discussion of Batman: Arkham Asylum continues (and concludes). Next week, we'll hear your responses to the games we covered during Bat Month!]]>
Episode 168: Batman: Arkham Asylum (Part 1)https://www.watchoutforfireballs.com/168
cec9053e-1a3e-4836-a270-f77e1541c25fThu, 14 Sep 2017 05:00:00 -0400Duckfeed.tvfullDuckfeed.tvBat month continues with the reinvigoration of the franchise. This episode covers generalities and the first major area.1:39:37noBat month continues with the reinvigoration of the franchise. This episode covers generalities and the first major area.
Batman had languished in mediocrity for almost two decades before Rocksteady brought it back from the brink. Arkham Asylum is remarkable not just for how influential it is, but for how well it works as a Batman simulator. Rocksteady would go on to perfect the formula with Arkham City, but their work began here... with a story about the Joker, his strong clowns, and the inmates running the asylum.
Bat month continues with the reinvigoration of the franchise. This episode covers generalities and the first major area.

Batman had languished in mediocrity for almost two decades before Rocksteady brought it back from the brink. Arkham Asylum is remarkable not just for how influential it is, but for how well it works as a Batman simulator. Rocksteady would go on to perfect the formula with Arkham City, but their work began here... with a story about the Joker, his strong clowns, and the inmates running the asylum.

]]>
Bat month continues with the reinvigoration of the franchise. This episode covers generalities and the first major area.

Batman had languished in mediocrity for almost two decades before Rocksteady brought it back from the brink. Arkham Asylum is remarkable not just for how influential it is, but for how well it works as a Batman simulator. Rocksteady would go on to perfect the formula with Arkham City, but their work began here... with a story about the Joker, his strong clowns, and the inmates running the asylum.

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Episode 167: Batman: The Video Gamehttps://www.watchoutforfireballs.com/167
1fce6a36-9382-4e87-9d88-a49444031176Thu, 07 Sep 2017 05:00:00 -0400Duckfeed.tvfullDuckfeed.tvThe title seems redundant, but it's better than saying "Batman, the NES game. The one made by SunSoft. For the first movie, kinda."1:42:05noThe title seems redundant, but it's better than saying "Batman, the NES game. The one made by SunSoft. For the first movie, kinda."
This might be the hardest game we've done for the show, but we might also have lost track. This is a compact little platformer that is certainly of its era, but it's also a rare great licensed game. Borrowing elements from several other platformers, Ninja Gaiden most noticeably, SunSoft created a challenging and technical Batman game when mediocrity would have sold.
The title seems redundant, but it's better than saying "Batman, the NES game. The one made by SunSoft. For the first movie, kinda."

This might be the hardest game we've done for the show, but we might also have lost track. This is a compact little platformer that is certainly of its era, but it's also a rare great licensed game. Borrowing elements from several other platformers, Ninja Gaiden most noticeably, SunSoft created a challenging and technical Batman game when mediocrity would have sold.

]]>
The title seems redundant, but it's better than saying "Batman, the NES game. The one made by SunSoft. For the first movie, kinda."

This might be the hardest game we've done for the show, but we might also have lost track. This is a compact little platformer that is certainly of its era, but it's also a rare great licensed game. Borrowing elements from several other platformers, Ninja Gaiden most noticeably, SunSoft created a challenging and technical Batman game when mediocrity would have sold.

]]>
Listener Responses: August 2017 (Final Fantasy IV)https://www.watchoutforfireballs.com/august-2017
7408dbdc-4b65-4e90-998e-dc30760fcf13Thu, 31 Aug 2017 14:00:00 -0400Duckfeed.tvfullDuckfeed.tvThis is the first of our monthly listener response episodes under the new model, gathering your thoughts on the Final Fantasy IV saga.1:33:28noThis is the first of our monthly listener response episodes under the new model, gathering your thoughts on the Final Fantasy IV saga.
Up next in September, we have Bat Month. Which means the Batman NES game, and Batman: Arkahm Asylum. October brings us Resident Evil month, featuring Resident Evil 3: Nemesis, Resident Evil: Code Veronica, and Resident Evil 7.
This is the first of our monthly listener response episodes under the new model, gathering your thoughts on the Final Fantasy IV saga.

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Episode 166: Final Fantasy IV: The After Years (Part 2)https://www.watchoutforfireballs.com/166
02fe51da-d3ab-4254-800a-4bd3d28ce052Thu, 24 Aug 2017 12:00:00 -0400Duckfeed.tvfullDuckfeed.tvTo the center of the moon, to the center of the series, and into the slog.2:17:25noTo the center of the moon, to the center of the series, and into the slog. Final Fantasy IV: The After Years takes a strange turn in its back half... a turn that isn't discussed very often because nobody really talks about The After Years. So, join us for the last few chapters of this wildly misguided game.
To the center of the moon, to the center of the series, and into the slog. Final Fantasy IV: The After Years takes a strange turn in its back half... a turn that isn't discussed very often because nobody really talks about The After Years. So, join us for the last few chapters of this wildly misguided game.

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To the center of the moon, to the center of the series, and into the slog. Final Fantasy IV: The After Years takes a strange turn in its back half... a turn that isn't discussed very often because nobody really talks about The After Years. So, join us for the last few chapters of this wildly misguided game.

]]>
Episode 165: Final Fantasy IV: The After Years (Part 1)https://www.watchoutforfireballs.com/165
3e5d3c6c-fdb1-4a5a-96df-d2ac38bf073dThu, 17 Aug 2017 13:00:00 -0400Duckfeed.tvfullDuckfeed.tvAn unloved sequel to a beloved game makes for some rough play, as the FF4 formula wears out its welcome.2:10:14noAn unloved sequel to a beloved game makes for some rough play, as the FF4 formula wears out its welcome.
While Takashi Tokita was working to update Final Fantasy IV for the Nintendo DS, he felt a longing to return to the Blue Planet and revisit the story of Cecil and the gang. What resulted was a strange plan: to release a sequel to an almost 20 year old game in episodic installments on Japanese mobile phones. By the time it arrived in America, nobody quite knew what to make of it, and neither do we.
An unloved sequel to a beloved game makes for some rough play, as the FF4 formula wears out its welcome.

While Takashi Tokita was working to update Final Fantasy IV for the Nintendo DS, he felt a longing to return to the Blue Planet and revisit the story of Cecil and the gang. What resulted was a strange plan: to release a sequel to an almost 20 year old game in episodic installments on Japanese mobile phones. By the time it arrived in America, nobody quite knew what to make of it, and neither do we.

]]>
An unloved sequel to a beloved game makes for some rough play, as the FF4 formula wears out its welcome.

While Takashi Tokita was working to update Final Fantasy IV for the Nintendo DS, he felt a longing to return to the Blue Planet and revisit the story of Cecil and the gang. What resulted was a strange plan: to release a sequel to an almost 20 year old game in episodic installments on Japanese mobile phones. By the time it arrived in America, nobody quite knew what to make of it, and neither do we.

]]>
Episode 164: Final Fantasy IV (Part 2)https://www.watchoutforfireballs.com/164
67e8e4ff-941f-4607-b609-d2ab865539ccThu, 10 Aug 2017 12:00:00 -0400Duckfeed.tvfullDuckfeed.tvPicking up at Troia and the Tower of Zot, Gary and Kole conclude their discussion of the main game of Final Fantasy IV.3:05:02noPicking up at Troia and the Tower of Zot, Gary and Kole conclude their discussion of the main game of Final Fantasy IV.
The next episode will cover the first several chapters of The After Years.
Picking up at Troia and the Tower of Zot, Gary and Kole conclude their discussion of the main game of Final Fantasy IV.

The next episode will cover the first several chapters of The After Years.

]]>
Picking up at Troia and the Tower of Zot, Gary and Kole conclude their discussion of the main game of Final Fantasy IV.

The next episode will cover the first several chapters of The After Years.

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Episode 163: Final Fantasy IV (Part 1)https://www.watchoutforfireballs.com/163
e3451a02-ba89-4436-bcae-959576acd550Thu, 03 Aug 2017 11:00:00 -0400Duckfeed.tvfullDuckfeed.tvIt's a classic RPG that established many of the norms for a huge series. Does it hold up to modern scrutiny? This episode covers the generalities, and the events of the game up through Cecil's trial at Mt. Ordeals.2:34:47noIt's a classic RPG that established many of the norms for a huge series. Does it hold up to modern scrutiny? This episode covers the generalities, and the events of the game up through Cecil's trial at Mt. Ordeals.
Final Fantasy IV was released in America for the SNES in 1991 as "Final Fantasy II", just a short year after the first Final Fantasy reached our shores. Timed to coincide with the release of a new system, it takes advantage of some of the new technologies that were freshly available at the time. The added scope was used to create a sweeping, narrative focused game that put broadly sketched characters and melodrama to the forefront. This decision came at the expense of some of the systems complexity of previous entries, marking Square's new priorities for RPGs as vehicles for story.
This first episode covers the portion of the game where Cecil, our main character, is working as a Dark Knight in the employ of Baron. Unsettled by his king's increasing militancy, Cecil abandons his kingdom after deciding he won't be a tool for further atrocities.
It's a classic RPG that established many of the norms for a huge series. Does it hold up to modern scrutiny? This episode covers the generalities, and the events of the game up through Cecil's trial at Mt. Ordeals.

Final Fantasy IV was released in America for the SNES in 1991 as "Final Fantasy II", just a short year after the first Final Fantasy reached our shores. Timed to coincide with the release of a new system, it takes advantage of some of the new technologies that were freshly available at the time. The added scope was used to create a sweeping, narrative focused game that put broadly sketched characters and melodrama to the forefront. This decision came at the expense of some of the systems complexity of previous entries, marking Square's new priorities for RPGs as vehicles for story.

This first episode covers the portion of the game where Cecil, our main character, is working as a Dark Knight in the employ of Baron. Unsettled by his king's increasing militancy, Cecil abandons his kingdom after deciding he won't be a tool for further atrocities.

]]>
It's a classic RPG that established many of the norms for a huge series. Does it hold up to modern scrutiny? This episode covers the generalities, and the events of the game up through Cecil's trial at Mt. Ordeals.

Final Fantasy IV was released in America for the SNES in 1991 as "Final Fantasy II", just a short year after the first Final Fantasy reached our shores. Timed to coincide with the release of a new system, it takes advantage of some of the new technologies that were freshly available at the time. The added scope was used to create a sweeping, narrative focused game that put broadly sketched characters and melodrama to the forefront. This decision came at the expense of some of the systems complexity of previous entries, marking Square's new priorities for RPGs as vehicles for story.

This first episode covers the portion of the game where Cecil, our main character, is working as a Dark Knight in the employ of Baron. Unsettled by his king's increasing militancy, Cecil abandons his kingdom after deciding he won't be a tool for further atrocities.

]]>
Episode 161: Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty (Part 1)https://www.watchoutforfireballs.com/161
d5be5541-bacc-428a-bbfb-b82b8bd323cbThu, 13 Jul 2017 05:00:00 -0400Duckfeed.tvfullDuckfeed.tvGary Butterfield and Kole Ross do a postmodern postmortem on the first portion of Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty.2:53:43yesGary Butterfield and Kole Ross do a postmodern postmortem on the first portion of Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty.
Metal Gear Solid 2 is a game that's been talked to death, but we try our best to bring our own perspective and approach to it. It's a sequel that Kojima never wanted to make. It's full of curveballs and "fuck you"s aimed at series fans. It has lots of ideas that are shockingly prescient. But, most of all, it's got some play issues that haven't aged super well.
This episode covers up through the encounter with Fat Man on the Big Shell.
Special thanks to Zachary Deane, this episode's executive producer.
Gary Butterfield and Kole Ross do a postmodern postmortem on the first portion of Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty.

Metal Gear Solid 2 is a game that's been talked to death, but we try our best to bring our own perspective and approach to it. It's a sequel that Kojima never wanted to make. It's full of curveballs and "fuck you"s aimed at series fans. It has lots of ideas that are shockingly prescient. But, most of all, it's got some play issues that haven't aged super well.

This episode covers up through the encounter with Fat Man on the Big Shell.

]]>
Gary Butterfield and Kole Ross do a postmodern postmortem on the first portion of Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty.

Metal Gear Solid 2 is a game that's been talked to death, but we try our best to bring our own perspective and approach to it. It's a sequel that Kojima never wanted to make. It's full of curveballs and "fuck you"s aimed at series fans. It has lots of ideas that are shockingly prescient. But, most of all, it's got some play issues that haven't aged super well.

This episode covers up through the encounter with Fat Man on the Big Shell.

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Episode 160: Noxhttps://www.watchoutforfireballs.com/160
59d029b4-44fc-4c85-80ab-68a29202c158Wed, 28 Jun 2017 02:15:00 -0400Duckfeed.tvfullDuckfeed.tvGary Butterfield and Kole Ross chase their orbs into the world of Nox.2:32:40noGary Butterfield and Kole Ross chase their orbs into the world of Nox.
It was marketed as EA's answer to Diablo, but it's categorically different. It introduces itself as a goofy and irreverent take on fantasy fiction, but then it plays it straight. After all of the feints, what you end up with is a profoundly strange action RPG.
Big thanks to Garrett for executive producing this episode!
Gary Butterfield and Kole Ross chase their orbs into the world of Nox.

It was marketed as EA's answer to Diablo, but it's categorically different. It introduces itself as a goofy and irreverent take on fantasy fiction, but then it plays it straight. After all of the feints, what you end up with is a profoundly strange action RPG.

]]>
Gary Butterfield and Kole Ross chase their orbs into the world of Nox.

It was marketed as EA's answer to Diablo, but it's categorically different. It introduces itself as a goofy and irreverent take on fantasy fiction, but then it plays it straight. After all of the feints, what you end up with is a profoundly strange action RPG.

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Episode 159e: Extrasode: SSX Trickyhttps://www.watchoutforfireballs.com/159e
60cf0a9b-f0b1-468b-aeb7-078f319652b2Thu, 22 Jun 2017 16:00:00 -0400Duckfeed.tvfullDuckfeed.tvGary Butterfield and Kole Ross read your responses to SSX Tricky.13:06noGary Butterfield and Kole Ross read your responses to SSX Tricky.
Gary Butterfield and Kole Ross read your responses to SSX Tricky.]]>
Gary Butterfield and Kole Ross read your responses to SSX Tricky.]]>
Episode 159: SSX Trickyhttps://www.watchoutforfireballs.com/159
21eb03b1-0e1d-456c-9c21-2d20fa22f968Thu, 15 Jun 2017 10:00:00 -0400Duckfeed.tvfullDuckfeed.tvGary Butterfield and Kole Ross flip out about SSX Tricky.1:53:54yesGary Butterfield and Kole Ross flip out about SSX Tricky.
This episode is our recital: to talk about to talk about how important SSX Tricky is in the pantheon of extreme sports games. For their second outing, EA Sports BIG totally nailed the combination of racing systems and trick systems, creating a game that is satisfyingly fast and technical. But lest you think this will be a 100% glowing episode, we have some very harsh words for the terrible cast of characters.
Gary Butterfield and Kole Ross flip out about SSX Tricky.

This episode is our recital: to talk about to talk about how important SSX Tricky is in the pantheon of extreme sports games. For their second outing, EA Sports BIG totally nailed the combination of racing systems and trick systems, creating a game that is satisfyingly fast and technical. But lest you think this will be a 100% glowing episode, we have some very harsh words for the terrible cast of characters.

This episode is our recital: to talk about to talk about how important SSX Tricky is in the pantheon of extreme sports games. For their second outing, EA Sports BIG totally nailed the combination of racing systems and trick systems, creating a game that is satisfyingly fast and technical. But lest you think this will be a 100% glowing episode, we have some very harsh words for the terrible cast of characters.

]]>
Episode 158: Yakuzahttps://www.watchoutforfireballs.com/158
811b572e-825e-4f66-85fc-031fe1eb02c1Thu, 01 Jun 2017 10:00:00 -0400Duckfeed.tvfullDuckfeed.tvGary Butterfield and Kole Ross kick and punch their way through Yakuza.3:02:08yesGary Butterfield and Kole Ross kick and punch their way through Yakuza.
Here it is, the winner of our Open World Game Poll. Except, it's a very different kind of open world game. Yakuza picks up where Shenmue left off, but does everything a lot better... especially the story, which follows ex-enforcer Kazuma Kiryu as he tries to get to the bottom of what insidious actors are using the Yakuza for malicious gains.
Gary Butterfield and Kole Ross kick and punch their way through Yakuza.

Here it is, the winner of our Open World Game Poll. Except, it's a very different kind of open world game. Yakuza picks up where Shenmue left off, but does everything a lot better... especially the story, which follows ex-enforcer Kazuma Kiryu as he tries to get to the bottom of what insidious actors are using the Yakuza for malicious gains.

]]>
Gary Butterfield and Kole Ross kick and punch their way through Yakuza.

Here it is, the winner of our Open World Game Poll. Except, it's a very different kind of open world game. Yakuza picks up where Shenmue left off, but does everything a lot better... especially the story, which follows ex-enforcer Kazuma Kiryu as he tries to get to the bottom of what insidious actors are using the Yakuza for malicious gains.

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Episode 156e: Extrasode: Crimson Shroudhttps://www.watchoutforfireballs.com/156e
fdd54895-7d68-41cb-8727-bf7e867beff9Thu, 18 May 2017 10:00:00 -0400Duckfeed.tvfullDuckfeed.tvGary Butterfield and Kole Ross read your responses to Crimson Shroud.16:21noGary Butterfield and Kole Ross read your responses to Crimson Shroud.
Gary Butterfield and Kole Ross read your responses to Crimson Shroud.]]>
Gary Butterfield and Kole Ross read your responses to Crimson Shroud.]]>
Episode 156: Crimson Shroudhttps://www.watchoutforfireballs.com/156
415f7887-990c-4a32-bb67-3e10ffac73fdThu, 11 May 2017 10:00:00 -0400Duckfeed.tvfullDuckfeed.tvGary Butterfield and Kole Ross chance upon Crimson Shroud.3:08:15noGary Butterfield and Kole Ross chance upon Crimson Shroud.
Yasumi Matsuno is responsible for some amazing games, Final Fantasy Tactics chief among them. One of his lesser-known projects is Crimson Shroud, a JRPG released for the 3DS as a part of a collection of smaller games. While it's soaked in Matsuno's style, Crimson Shroud is truly special because it emulates the trappings of tabletop games, right down to simulating dice rolls. But does it stick the landing?
Gary Butterfield and Kole Ross chance upon Crimson Shroud.

Yasumi Matsuno is responsible for some amazing games, Final Fantasy Tactics chief among them. One of his lesser-known projects is Crimson Shroud, a JRPG released for the 3DS as a part of a collection of smaller games. While it's soaked in Matsuno's style, Crimson Shroud is truly special because it emulates the trappings of tabletop games, right down to simulating dice rolls. But does it stick the landing?

]]>
Gary Butterfield and Kole Ross chance upon Crimson Shroud.

Yasumi Matsuno is responsible for some amazing games, Final Fantasy Tactics chief among them. One of his lesser-known projects is Crimson Shroud, a JRPG released for the 3DS as a part of a collection of smaller games. While it's soaked in Matsuno's style, Crimson Shroud is truly special because it emulates the trappings of tabletop games, right down to simulating dice rolls. But does it stick the landing?

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Watch Out for Fireballs! 2.0 Infinity Mk. 7https://www.watchoutforfireballs.com/woff2point0
64e22c40-8285-4056-aac9-32cb8f9727d2Thu, 04 May 2017 07:00:00 -0400Duckfeed.tvfullDuckfeed.tvA discussion about the future of Watch Out for Fireballs! and Bonfireside Chat.59:41yesHi there, we have some news for you about the future of Watch Out for Fireballs! and Bonfireside Chat. We think it’s pretty exciting.
The short version of it is that Bonfireside Chat is ending in August, and will be replaced with more frequent episodes of Watch Out for Fireballs!.
The long version can be found below. We’ve got a lot of stuff to talk about, and we want to hear what you think. So we’ve set up a survey to gather your input. And we’re giving away three (3) $20 Steam gift cards to some randomly drawn people from the respondents. Please read everything here before you complete the survey, if you could.
Here’s a link to the survey: https://duckfeed.typeform.com/to/LDPTnY
Table of Contents
Bonfireside Chat is Ending
How is Bonfireside Chat going to end?
What’s Replacing Bonfireside Chat?
Watch Out for Fireballs! is Going Weekly
WOFF! Will Change Schedules in August
What’s Happening to the Crystal Chronicles?
What’s Happening to Other Shows on the Network?
How is the Patreon Changing?
Early Release is getting better.
We’re changing the Slack access tier.
What are some open questions?
We’re holding a survey.
Timeline of Changes
Not all of this is happening immediately. Here’s a brief timeline so you can know what takes effect when.
January: WOFF! expands beyond retro games.
May: Brayton replaces Gary on Check It Out, Comrade!
Late June: Changes to the Duckfeed Patreon will take effect.
July 1: Early Release shifts to 1 week early instead of 1 day early.
July 9: Bonfireside Chat Victory Lap season begins.
August 1: Watch Out for Fireballs! schedule change takes effect.
August 20: Final Bonfireside Chat airs.
Bonfireside Chat is Ending
It’s strange to begin an announcement about Watch Out for Fireballs! with news for a different show, but the fate of Bonfireside Chat affects everything on the network. We’ve thought about it long and hard, and we’ve decided to end Bonfireside Chat in August of 2017.
Bonfireside Chat and the Dark Souls series have both been very good to us. We’ve met a ton of great people doing the show, built an audience, and made some great episodes. But the Dark Souls 3 season kind of broke us. It was the first time we had to spend so much time playing, examining, and talking about a game that we’re not crazy for.
We knew the end of Bonfireside Chat would happen some day. As early as a year ago, FromSoft told us that the series was concluding. We entertained the notion of continuing the show by talking about SoulsLikes, but those are of wildly varying quality. And all of our thoughts come back to this: Dark Souls was a game that was so good that we couldn’t *not** do a show about it.* Most of the sequels were as well. But it makes no sense to bind ourself to things that merely imitate something that we love.
What if From releases a new SoulsBorne game?
E3 is in a few weeks, and it’s totally possible that From will announce something related to Souls. This won’t change our decision. Instead, that game will be covered on Watch Out for Fireballs! The same applies to any really good SoulsLikes.
How is Bonfireside Chat going to end?
We have a plan for ending Bonfireside Chat, and we’ve alluded to it before. This summer, we’re walking back through the whole series in the opposite order that we’ve covered it. Each game will get an episode + appendix pair, and we’re going to talk about each entry in the broader context of the series now that we know how it ends.
So that means the order is as follows:
* Bloodborne (July 2)
* Dark Souls 2 (July 16)
* Demon’s Souls (July 30)
* Dark Souls (August 13)
These episodes will have guests, and they’re already chosen from our Bonfireside Chat After Dark tier backers. They are John Hurst, Mitch Benes, Randy Walker, and Kilo Pascal.
Prior to that, we’re going to cover the remaining soulslikes we’ve committed to covering. Namely, Let It Die, Nioh, and Hollow Knight.
You’ll notice that this brings the entire podcast around full circle. We like how appropriate that feels.
What Happened to Bonfireside Chat After Dark?
We miscalculated when we added Bonfireside Chat After Dark to the Patreon. We had no idea what would happen with the series or the show when we thought that up. We’ll own that mistake, and we also want to make it right… and here’s how.
Those backers who would have been guests on Bonfireside Chat After Dark will instead guest on those final revisit episodes. It feels right to get people from the community involved in the victory lap, especially if they are people who have supported us as much as those individuals have. We’ve spoken with them, and they’re cool with it.
If you paid for a prompt or question on Bonfireside Chat After Dark, we will use your responses during those recap appendices. Please look for a message in your email inbox toward the beginning of June.
What’s Replacing Bonfireside Chat?
We’ve gotten a lot of suggestions about what to cover after Bonfireside Chat ends. People were pulling hard for games like the Witcher and Nier. We seriously kicked around the idea of starting up a show that chronologically examined the Resident Evil games. The Crystal Chronicles was on our Patreon milestone goals for a very long time (more on that later).
Starting up a new show about a new series of games makes less sense than making big changes to Watch Out for Fireballs!, which has always been our flagship show. What happens if we broaden that umbrella, and make changes to the schedule to allow us to cover more games in greater depth?
What’s it look like if the Witcher 3 becomes a game we could cover on WOFF!?
You end up with something we’ve codenamed WOFF! 2.0. But we likely won’t use that name in the future.
Watch Out for Fireballs! is Going Weekly
WOFF becoming more frequent is a huge deal for us. And here’s what it looks like.
The first 3 weeks of each month (or the first 4, if it’s a 5 week month) will feature full episodes about short or medium length games, or episodes about portions of larger games (like we’ve done with large games in the past). The last episode of each month will be a collective listener response episode about all of the games we covered that month.
This kind of grouping will also let us do themed batches of episodes each month. Hypothetically, this is what “Weird NES Sequels” month would look like.
Week 1: Super Mario Bros. 2
Week 2: Castlevania II: Simon’s Quest
Week 3: Zelda II: The Adventures of Link
Week 4: Feedback episode about all three of the previous games.
Other ideas for themed groups of episodes would be a long look at the Wolfenstein series, going from Wolfenstein 3D to the 2008 reboot to Wolfenstein: The New Order. We could also do a Resident Evil cleanup month, with Resident Evil 3: Nemesis, Code: Veronica, and Resident Evil 6. We aren’t promising that either of those will happen right away, but they’re examples.
If this sounds familiar, it’s similar to how we’ve treated JRPGs and CRPGs in the past. The Neverwinter Nights II series of episodes was a test model for this, and we think those episodes turned out very well.
Looking at the math, our old “tick tock” model of release would usually result in 26 episodes per year. Our multi-part episodes have made us come out with slightly more than that (for example, we released 30 episodes in 2016). Under the new model, you would get 40 mainline episodes per year.
Here are a few things that will happen as a result of this:
* We will cover more “small” games. The Pac Man 2 episode in the Duck Bundle was a test for how this would work.
* Split episodes will go away (namely, single episodes that feature two games, like the Starflight/Toe Jam &amp; Earl episode, or the Brawler special).
* We’ll be a little more liberal about splitting meaty games into multiple parts (example: Metal Gear Solid 2 is on our docket, and we’re splitting that 12 hour game in 2 because we will have a lot to say).
* We’ll have to be more comfortable with some episodes being “only” 60-90 minutes, as we cover some shorter stuff.
Two things that won’t go away are poll episodes and executive produced episodes. Those will be folded into the model, and remain unchanged. That means one of those will happen each quarter (or four times per year).
Another consequence is that listener response episodes will be much meatier since they’ll cover 3 or 4 games, and there will be a more consistent deadline… namely, responses about all of the games should come in by the 15th of each month.
WOFF! Will Change Schedules in August
The changes to the WOFF! schedule will begin August 3, with Final Fantasy IV month. That’s right, we’ll be covering all of Final Fantasy IV and Final Fantasy IV: The After Years. For reference, here’s the schedule up through that point:
<a href="%E2%80%9Chttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guild_(series)%E2%80%9D">Crimson Shroud</a> (May 11)
Pilotwings (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pilotwings) (May 25)
<a href="%E2%80%9Chttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yakuza_(video_game)%E2%80%9D">Yakuza</a> (June 1)
SSX Tricky (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SSX_Tricky) (June 15)
<a href="%E2%80%9Chttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nox_(video_game)%E2%80%9D">NOX</a>(June 29)
Metal Gear Solid 2, Part 1 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metal_Gear_Solid_2:_Sons_of_Liberty) (July 13)
Metal Gear Solid 2, Part 2 (July 20)
Final Fantasy IV, Part 1 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Final_Fantasy_IV) (August 3)
Final Fantasy IV, Part 2 (August 10)
The After Years, Part 1 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Final_Fantasy_IV:_The_After_Years) (August 17)
The After Years, Part 2 (August 24)
Final Fantasy IV Responses (August 31)
What’s Happening to the Crystal Chronicles?
You may wonder what us covering FF4 on WOFF! means for the Final Fantasy show we had planned. It means that show won’t happen. We pegged that show at a very high milestone amount because it would take a tremendous amount of work. But as Bonfireside Chat wound down, we realized we probably wouldn’t hit that total any time soon. And redesigning WOFF! presented an opportunity to cover the Final Fantasy games that were meaningful to us without taking on an unreasonable workload that would harm the rest of the shows.
In general, we want to be very circumspect about adding new shows, so we’re going to make some changes to the Patreon campaign to reflect that. Expect more details later.
Of note: Heartbeat City will not go away. Gary will record and release a pilot for that soon.
What’s Happening to Other Shows on the Network?
This change shouldn’t have a huge impact on other shows, but there are some things we’d like to announce/clarify so people know what’s up.
Gary is taking a leave of absence from Check It Out, Comrade!, the network’s indie game show. Brayton Cameron from Teenage Dirtbags will be replacing him. Gary made this decision to free up more time for working on his book, and playing things for the new iteration of WOFF! We’re really excited to have Brayton take over his seat. Brayton is hilarious, and has different taste in games than Gary does, so you will see them cover different stuff. Gary will still come back for specific games (think Thimbleweed Park or Torment: Tides of Numenera).
File Under Water has an end date. Right now, it’s slated to end in late October. A show about R.E.M. was always going to be limited, because they only put out a limited number of albums. We currently have no plans to cover another band.
Radio Free Mid-World is a limited show as well. Once we run out of Dark Tower books, related works by King, and related media (the movies, TV show, whatever else comes) we will end that show. Don’t worry, this won’t happen until 2019 at the earliest.
How is the Patreon Changing?
We’re making some adjustments to the way our Patreon works, in order to reflect these changes to our show lineup. Chiefly (and logically), we’re getting rid of the $75 BSC Afterdark tier, and removing the “get a prompt on BSC Afterdark” from the $10 tier.
We are also removing The Crystal Chronicles as a milestone goal.
Both of these will be replaced by something else in due time… Look a little further down to see what we’re thinking of (and to see how you can help).
We’re also making two other big changes.
Early Release is getting better.
Effective around the end of June and the beginning of July, episodes on the Early Release feed will come out a week early, instead of a day early. We are also raising the price of this perk to $5 per month. This is more valuable, we think, and it brings us closer in line with other Patreon campaigns that offer a similar perk.
We’re going to make a great deal of these changes in the middle of June, and the “1 Week Early” change will happen for any episode that would have normally come out in July.
The only show this doesn’t apply to right now is The Level, which will come out 1-2 days early because of how that show is produced.
We’re changing the Slack access tier.
Effective sometime in June, Slack invites will only go to backers at $5 and up. If you already have access to the Slack team, or access the Slack team before the change is made, then you will be grandfathered in. We will not revoke Slack access from people.
We’re doing this for a couple of reasons. The community is getting very big, and it’s requiring more work and more touch than it did in the past. This will help control that. Additionally, it will reduce the number of drive-bys that happen, as $5 is a bigger investment.
Something to note is that the $1 tier will not go away. Those small donation amounts are huge for us. You will still get access to incidental content, and access to Watch Out for Fireballs! polls.
What are some open questions?
Everything laid out before this paragraph is a decision we’ve already made. We feel like they are good decisions, and we wouldn’t shake things up so much if we didn’t feel so secure in how things are going.
But each big decision is accompanied by multiple smaller decisions. And that’s why we’re running this survey… to gather useful information from you, and to hear your thoughts and ideas about how the network can get better at giving you things you want.
Here are some questions that have gone unanswered, and we want your help.
What’s a good replacement for the $75 tier? That’s a lot of money to give, and we want to make it awesome. Would you want to guest on an episode? Dictate a piece of media for a Try This type show? Dictate the subject of some video content like Let’s Plays?
What kind of new milestones goals would you like to see? Should we do another live show each year? Should we hold a virtual DuckCon? Include more guest episodes on WOFF!?
Do one-off milestones interest you? Not every milestone needs to be an ongoing commitment. Maybe we could do some actual-play tabletop one-offs. Maybe we could set a goal for Gary and Kole to stream some co-op games.
And there are other questions we haven’t even thought to ask. We want to know what would make you a patron if you aren’t one already. We want to know what stuff we do that you care about, and we also want to know what you don’t care about.
We’d also like to hear how you feel about the changes to our biggest shows. We’ve already made our decision about ending Bonfireside Chat, but it’s worth understanding how this will impact your listenership and patronage.
Something we don’t want to hear is “Stick to Games” or “Stop mentioning politics.” We also don’t want to hear “Be more positive.” Save yourself the time and hassle if that’s what you were going to say.
We’re holding a survey.
After this novella of a post, we want to know what you think. Use the button below to fill out the survey. It will be a huge help to us. Completing the survey and selecting “Yes, I would like to enter the contest” will enter you for a chance to win a $20 Steam gift card (we are giving out three of them). We are especially interested in your responses if you’re not already a Patron of Duckfeed.tv on Patreon.
A link to the survey: https://duckfeed.typeform.com/to/LDPTnY
Thank you so much for reading this, if you’ve gotten this far. Your support has meant the world to us, and we are incredibly excited about what these changes mean for the network. Thanks for being along for the ride.
Hi there, we have some news for you about the future of Watch Out for Fireballs! and Bonfireside Chat. We think it’s pretty exciting.

The short version of it is that Bonfireside Chat is ending in August, and will be replaced with more frequent episodes of Watch Out for Fireballs!.

The long version can be found below. We’ve got a lot of stuff to talk about, and we want to hear what you think. So we’ve set up a survey to gather your input. And we’re giving away three (3) $20 Steam gift cards to some randomly drawn people from the respondents. Please read everything here before you complete the survey, if you could.

Timeline of Changes

Not all of this is happening immediately. Here’s a brief timeline so you can know what takes effect when.

January: WOFF! expands beyond retro games.

May: Brayton replaces Gary on Check It Out, Comrade!

Late June: Changes to the Duckfeed Patreon will take effect.

July 1: Early Release shifts to 1 week early instead of 1 day early.

July 9: Bonfireside Chat Victory Lap season begins.

August 1: Watch Out for Fireballs! schedule change takes effect.

August 20: Final Bonfireside Chat airs.

Bonfireside Chat is Ending

It’s strange to begin an announcement about Watch Out for Fireballs! with news for a different show, but the fate of Bonfireside Chat affects everything on the network. We’ve thought about it long and hard, and we’ve decided to end Bonfireside Chat in August of 2017.

Bonfireside Chat and the Dark Souls series have both been very good to us. We’ve met a ton of great people doing the show, built an audience, and made some great episodes. But the Dark Souls 3 season kind of broke us. It was the first time we had to spend so much time playing, examining, and talking about a game that we’re not crazy for.

We knew the end of Bonfireside Chat would happen some day. As early as a year ago, FromSoft told us that the series was concluding. We entertained the notion of continuing the show by talking about SoulsLikes, but those are of wildly varying quality. And all of our thoughts come back to this: Dark Souls was a game that was so good that we couldn’t **not* do a show about it.* Most of the sequels were as well. But it makes no sense to bind ourself to things that merely imitate something that we love.

What if From releases a new SoulsBorne game?

E3 is in a few weeks, and it’s totally possible that From will announce something related to Souls. This won’t change our decision. Instead, that game will be covered on Watch Out for Fireballs! The same applies to any really good SoulsLikes.

How is Bonfireside Chat going to end?

We have a plan for ending Bonfireside Chat, and we’ve alluded to it before. This summer, we’re walking back through the whole series in the opposite order that we’ve covered it. Each game will get an episode + appendix pair, and we’re going to talk about each entry in the broader context of the series now that we know how it ends.

So that means the order is as follows:

Bloodborne (July 2)

Dark Souls 2 (July 16)

Demon’s Souls (July 30)

Dark Souls (August 13)

These episodes will have guests, and they’re already chosen from our Bonfireside Chat After Dark tier backers. They are John Hurst, Mitch Benes, Randy Walker, and Kilo Pascal.

You’ll notice that this brings the entire podcast around full circle. We like how appropriate that feels.

What Happened to Bonfireside Chat After Dark?

We miscalculated when we added Bonfireside Chat After Dark to the Patreon. We had no idea what would happen with the series or the show when we thought that up. We’ll own that mistake, and we also want to make it right… and here’s how.

Those backers who would have been guests on Bonfireside Chat After Dark will instead guest on those final revisit episodes. It feels right to get people from the community involved in the victory lap, especially if they are people who have supported us as much as those individuals have. We’ve spoken with them, and they’re cool with it.

If you paid for a prompt or question on Bonfireside Chat After Dark, we will use your responses during those recap appendices. Please look for a message in your email inbox toward the beginning of June.

What’s Replacing Bonfireside Chat?

We’ve gotten a lot of suggestions about what to cover after Bonfireside Chat ends. People were pulling hard for games like the Witcher and Nier. We seriously kicked around the idea of starting up a show that chronologically examined the Resident Evil games. The Crystal Chronicles was on our Patreon milestone goals for a very long time (more on that later).

Starting up a new show about a new series of games makes less sense than making big changes to Watch Out for Fireballs!, which has always been our flagship show. What happens if we broaden that umbrella, and make changes to the schedule to allow us to cover more games in greater depth?

What’s it look like if the Witcher 3 becomes a game we could cover on WOFF!?

You end up with something we’ve codenamed WOFF! 2.0. But we likely won’t use that name in the future.

Watch Out for Fireballs! is Going Weekly

WOFF becoming more frequent is a huge deal for us. And here’s what it looks like.

The first 3 weeks of each month (or the first 4, if it’s a 5 week month) will feature full episodes about short or medium length games, or episodes about portions of larger games (like we’ve done with large games in the past). The last episode of each month will be a collective listener response episode about all of the games we covered that month.

This kind of grouping will also let us do themed batches of episodes each month. Hypothetically, this is what “Weird NES Sequels” month would look like.

Week 1: Super Mario Bros. 2

Week 2: Castlevania II: Simon’s Quest

Week 3: Zelda II: The Adventures of Link

Week 4: Feedback episode about all three of the previous games.

Other ideas for themed groups of episodes would be a long look at the Wolfenstein series, going from Wolfenstein 3D to the 2008 reboot to Wolfenstein: The New Order. We could also do a Resident Evil cleanup month, with Resident Evil 3: Nemesis, Code: Veronica, and Resident Evil 6. We aren’t promising that either of those will happen right away, but they’re examples.

If this sounds familiar, it’s similar to how we’ve treated JRPGs and CRPGs in the past. The Neverwinter Nights II series of episodes was a test model for this, and we think those episodes turned out very well.

Looking at the math, our old “tick tock” model of release would usually result in 26 episodes per year. Our multi-part episodes have made us come out with slightly more than that (for example, we released 30 episodes in 2016). Under the new model, you would get 40 mainline episodes per year.

Here are a few things that will happen as a result of this:

We will cover more “small” games. The Pac Man 2 episode in the Duck Bundle was a test for how this would work.

Split episodes will go away (namely, single episodes that feature two games, like the Starflight/Toe Jam & Earl episode, or the Brawler special).

We’ll be a little more liberal about splitting meaty games into multiple parts (example: Metal Gear Solid 2 is on our docket, and we’re splitting that 12 hour game in 2 because we will have a lot to say).

We’ll have to be more comfortable with some episodes being “only” 60-90 minutes, as we cover some shorter stuff.

Two things that won’t go away are poll episodes and executive produced episodes. Those will be folded into the model, and remain unchanged. That means one of those will happen each quarter (or four times per year).

Another consequence is that listener response episodes will be much meatier since they’ll cover 3 or 4 games, and there will be a more consistent deadline… namely, responses about all of the games should come in by the 15th of each month.

WOFF! Will Change Schedules in August

The changes to the WOFF! schedule will begin August 3, with Final Fantasy IV month. That’s right, we’ll be covering all of Final Fantasy IV and Final Fantasy IV: The After Years. For reference, here’s the schedule up through that point:

What’s Happening to the Crystal Chronicles?

You may wonder what us covering FF4 on WOFF! means for the Final Fantasy show we had planned. It means that show won’t happen. We pegged that show at a very high milestone amount because it would take a tremendous amount of work. But as Bonfireside Chat wound down, we realized we probably wouldn’t hit that total any time soon. And redesigning WOFF! presented an opportunity to cover the Final Fantasy games that were meaningful to us without taking on an unreasonable workload that would harm the rest of the shows.

In general, we want to be very circumspect about adding new shows, so we’re going to make some changes to the Patreon campaign to reflect that. Expect more details later.

Of note: Heartbeat City will not go away. Gary will record and release a pilot for that soon.

What’s Happening to Other Shows on the Network?

This change shouldn’t have a huge impact on other shows, but there are some things we’d like to announce/clarify so people know what’s up.

Gary is taking a leave of absence from Check It Out, Comrade!, the network’s indie game show. Brayton Cameron from Teenage Dirtbags will be replacing him. Gary made this decision to free up more time for working on his book, and playing things for the new iteration of WOFF! We’re really excited to have Brayton take over his seat. Brayton is hilarious, and has different taste in games than Gary does, so you will see them cover different stuff. Gary will still come back for specific games (think Thimbleweed Park or Torment: Tides of Numenera).

File Under Water has an end date. Right now, it’s slated to end in late October. A show about R.E.M. was always going to be limited, because they only put out a limited number of albums. We currently have no plans to cover another band.

Radio Free Mid-World is a limited show as well. Once we run out of Dark Tower books, related works by King, and related media (the movies, TV show, whatever else comes) we will end that show. Don’t worry, this won’t happen until 2019 at the earliest.

How is the Patreon Changing?

We’re making some adjustments to the way our Patreon works, in order to reflect these changes to our show lineup. Chiefly (and logically), we’re getting rid of the $75 BSC Afterdark tier, and removing the “get a prompt on BSC Afterdark” from the $10 tier.

We are also removing The Crystal Chronicles as a milestone goal.

Both of these will be replaced by something else in due time… Look a little further down to see what we’re thinking of (and to see how you can help).

We’re also making two other big changes.

Early Release is getting better.

Effective around the end of June and the beginning of July, episodes on the Early Release feed will come out a week early, instead of a day early. We are also raising the price of this perk to $5 per month. This is more valuable, we think, and it brings us closer in line with other Patreon campaigns that offer a similar perk.

We’re going to make a great deal of these changes in the middle of June, and the “1 Week Early” change will happen for any episode that would have normally come out in July.

The only show this doesn’t apply to right now is The Level, which will come out 1-2 days early because of how that show is produced.

We’re changing the Slack access tier.

Effective sometime in June, Slack invites will only go to backers at $5 and up. If you already have access to the Slack team, or access the Slack team before the change is made, then you will be grandfathered in. We will not revoke Slack access from people.

We’re doing this for a couple of reasons. The community is getting very big, and it’s requiring more work and more touch than it did in the past. This will help control that. Additionally, it will reduce the number of drive-bys that happen, as $5 is a bigger investment.

Something to note is that the $1 tier will not go away. Those small donation amounts are huge for us. You will still get access to incidental content, and access to Watch Out for Fireballs! polls.

What are some open questions?

Everything laid out before this paragraph is a decision we’ve already made. We feel like they are good decisions, and we wouldn’t shake things up so much if we didn’t feel so secure in how things are going.

But each big decision is accompanied by multiple smaller decisions. And that’s why we’re running this survey… to gather useful information from you, and to hear your thoughts and ideas about how the network can get better at giving you things you want.

Here are some questions that have gone unanswered, and we want your help.

What’s a good replacement for the $75 tier? That’s a lot of money to give, and we want to make it awesome. Would you want to guest on an episode? Dictate a piece of media for a Try This type show? Dictate the subject of some video content like Let’s Plays?

What kind of new milestones goals would you like to see? Should we do another live show each year? Should we hold a virtual DuckCon? Include more guest episodes on WOFF!?

Do one-off milestones interest you? Not every milestone needs to be an ongoing commitment. Maybe we could do some actual-play tabletop one-offs. Maybe we could set a goal for Gary and Kole to stream some co-op games.

And there are other questions we haven’t even thought to ask. We want to know what would make you a patron if you aren’t one already. We want to know what stuff we do that you care about, and we also want to know what you don’t care about.

We’d also like to hear how you feel about the changes to our biggest shows. We’ve already made our decision about ending Bonfireside Chat, but it’s worth understanding how this will impact your listenership and patronage.

Something we don’t want to hear is “Stick to Games” or “Stop mentioning politics.” We also don’t want to hear “Be more positive.” Save yourself the time and hassle if that’s what you were going to say.

We’re holding a survey.

After this novella of a post, we want to know what you think. Use the button below to fill out the survey. It will be a huge help to us. Completing the survey and selecting “Yes, I would like to enter the contest” will enter you for a chance to win a $20 Steam gift card (we are giving out three of them). We are especially interested in your responses if you’re not already a Patron of Duckfeed.tv on Patreon.

Thank you so much for reading this, if you’ve gotten this far. Your support has meant the world to us, and we are incredibly excited about what these changes mean for the network. Thanks for being along for the ride.

]]>
Hi there, we have some news for you about the future of Watch Out for Fireballs! and Bonfireside Chat. We think it’s pretty exciting.

The short version of it is that Bonfireside Chat is ending in August, and will be replaced with more frequent episodes of Watch Out for Fireballs!.

The long version can be found below. We’ve got a lot of stuff to talk about, and we want to hear what you think. So we’ve set up a survey to gather your input. And we’re giving away three (3) $20 Steam gift cards to some randomly drawn people from the respondents. Please read everything here before you complete the survey, if you could.

Timeline of Changes

Not all of this is happening immediately. Here’s a brief timeline so you can know what takes effect when.

January: WOFF! expands beyond retro games.

May: Brayton replaces Gary on Check It Out, Comrade!

Late June: Changes to the Duckfeed Patreon will take effect.

July 1: Early Release shifts to 1 week early instead of 1 day early.

July 9: Bonfireside Chat Victory Lap season begins.

August 1: Watch Out for Fireballs! schedule change takes effect.

August 20: Final Bonfireside Chat airs.

Bonfireside Chat is Ending

It’s strange to begin an announcement about Watch Out for Fireballs! with news for a different show, but the fate of Bonfireside Chat affects everything on the network. We’ve thought about it long and hard, and we’ve decided to end Bonfireside Chat in August of 2017.

Bonfireside Chat and the Dark Souls series have both been very good to us. We’ve met a ton of great people doing the show, built an audience, and made some great episodes. But the Dark Souls 3 season kind of broke us. It was the first time we had to spend so much time playing, examining, and talking about a game that we’re not crazy for.

We knew the end of Bonfireside Chat would happen some day. As early as a year ago, FromSoft told us that the series was concluding. We entertained the notion of continuing the show by talking about SoulsLikes, but those are of wildly varying quality. And all of our thoughts come back to this: Dark Souls was a game that was so good that we couldn’t **not* do a show about it.* Most of the sequels were as well. But it makes no sense to bind ourself to things that merely imitate something that we love.

What if From releases a new SoulsBorne game?

E3 is in a few weeks, and it’s totally possible that From will announce something related to Souls. This won’t change our decision. Instead, that game will be covered on Watch Out for Fireballs! The same applies to any really good SoulsLikes.

How is Bonfireside Chat going to end?

We have a plan for ending Bonfireside Chat, and we’ve alluded to it before. This summer, we’re walking back through the whole series in the opposite order that we’ve covered it. Each game will get an episode + appendix pair, and we’re going to talk about each entry in the broader context of the series now that we know how it ends.

So that means the order is as follows:

Bloodborne (July 2)

Dark Souls 2 (July 16)

Demon’s Souls (July 30)

Dark Souls (August 13)

These episodes will have guests, and they’re already chosen from our Bonfireside Chat After Dark tier backers. They are John Hurst, Mitch Benes, Randy Walker, and Kilo Pascal.

You’ll notice that this brings the entire podcast around full circle. We like how appropriate that feels.

What Happened to Bonfireside Chat After Dark?

We miscalculated when we added Bonfireside Chat After Dark to the Patreon. We had no idea what would happen with the series or the show when we thought that up. We’ll own that mistake, and we also want to make it right… and here’s how.

Those backers who would have been guests on Bonfireside Chat After Dark will instead guest on those final revisit episodes. It feels right to get people from the community involved in the victory lap, especially if they are people who have supported us as much as those individuals have. We’ve spoken with them, and they’re cool with it.

If you paid for a prompt or question on Bonfireside Chat After Dark, we will use your responses during those recap appendices. Please look for a message in your email inbox toward the beginning of June.

What’s Replacing Bonfireside Chat?

We’ve gotten a lot of suggestions about what to cover after Bonfireside Chat ends. People were pulling hard for games like the Witcher and Nier. We seriously kicked around the idea of starting up a show that chronologically examined the Resident Evil games. The Crystal Chronicles was on our Patreon milestone goals for a very long time (more on that later).

Starting up a new show about a new series of games makes less sense than making big changes to Watch Out for Fireballs!, which has always been our flagship show. What happens if we broaden that umbrella, and make changes to the schedule to allow us to cover more games in greater depth?

What’s it look like if the Witcher 3 becomes a game we could cover on WOFF!?

You end up with something we’ve codenamed WOFF! 2.0. But we likely won’t use that name in the future.

Watch Out for Fireballs! is Going Weekly

WOFF becoming more frequent is a huge deal for us. And here’s what it looks like.

The first 3 weeks of each month (or the first 4, if it’s a 5 week month) will feature full episodes about short or medium length games, or episodes about portions of larger games (like we’ve done with large games in the past). The last episode of each month will be a collective listener response episode about all of the games we covered that month.

This kind of grouping will also let us do themed batches of episodes each month. Hypothetically, this is what “Weird NES Sequels” month would look like.

Week 1: Super Mario Bros. 2

Week 2: Castlevania II: Simon’s Quest

Week 3: Zelda II: The Adventures of Link

Week 4: Feedback episode about all three of the previous games.

Other ideas for themed groups of episodes would be a long look at the Wolfenstein series, going from Wolfenstein 3D to the 2008 reboot to Wolfenstein: The New Order. We could also do a Resident Evil cleanup month, with Resident Evil 3: Nemesis, Code: Veronica, and Resident Evil 6. We aren’t promising that either of those will happen right away, but they’re examples.

If this sounds familiar, it’s similar to how we’ve treated JRPGs and CRPGs in the past. The Neverwinter Nights II series of episodes was a test model for this, and we think those episodes turned out very well.

Looking at the math, our old “tick tock” model of release would usually result in 26 episodes per year. Our multi-part episodes have made us come out with slightly more than that (for example, we released 30 episodes in 2016). Under the new model, you would get 40 mainline episodes per year.

Here are a few things that will happen as a result of this:

We will cover more “small” games. The Pac Man 2 episode in the Duck Bundle was a test for how this would work.

Split episodes will go away (namely, single episodes that feature two games, like the Starflight/Toe Jam & Earl episode, or the Brawler special).

We’ll be a little more liberal about splitting meaty games into multiple parts (example: Metal Gear Solid 2 is on our docket, and we’re splitting that 12 hour game in 2 because we will have a lot to say).

We’ll have to be more comfortable with some episodes being “only” 60-90 minutes, as we cover some shorter stuff.

Two things that won’t go away are poll episodes and executive produced episodes. Those will be folded into the model, and remain unchanged. That means one of those will happen each quarter (or four times per year).

Another consequence is that listener response episodes will be much meatier since they’ll cover 3 or 4 games, and there will be a more consistent deadline… namely, responses about all of the games should come in by the 15th of each month.

WOFF! Will Change Schedules in August

The changes to the WOFF! schedule will begin August 3, with Final Fantasy IV month. That’s right, we’ll be covering all of Final Fantasy IV and Final Fantasy IV: The After Years. For reference, here’s the schedule up through that point:

What’s Happening to the Crystal Chronicles?

You may wonder what us covering FF4 on WOFF! means for the Final Fantasy show we had planned. It means that show won’t happen. We pegged that show at a very high milestone amount because it would take a tremendous amount of work. But as Bonfireside Chat wound down, we realized we probably wouldn’t hit that total any time soon. And redesigning WOFF! presented an opportunity to cover the Final Fantasy games that were meaningful to us without taking on an unreasonable workload that would harm the rest of the shows.

In general, we want to be very circumspect about adding new shows, so we’re going to make some changes to the Patreon campaign to reflect that. Expect more details later.

Of note: Heartbeat City will not go away. Gary will record and release a pilot for that soon.

What’s Happening to Other Shows on the Network?

This change shouldn’t have a huge impact on other shows, but there are some things we’d like to announce/clarify so people know what’s up.

Gary is taking a leave of absence from Check It Out, Comrade!, the network’s indie game show. Brayton Cameron from Teenage Dirtbags will be replacing him. Gary made this decision to free up more time for working on his book, and playing things for the new iteration of WOFF! We’re really excited to have Brayton take over his seat. Brayton is hilarious, and has different taste in games than Gary does, so you will see them cover different stuff. Gary will still come back for specific games (think Thimbleweed Park or Torment: Tides of Numenera).

File Under Water has an end date. Right now, it’s slated to end in late October. A show about R.E.M. was always going to be limited, because they only put out a limited number of albums. We currently have no plans to cover another band.

Radio Free Mid-World is a limited show as well. Once we run out of Dark Tower books, related works by King, and related media (the movies, TV show, whatever else comes) we will end that show. Don’t worry, this won’t happen until 2019 at the earliest.

How is the Patreon Changing?

We’re making some adjustments to the way our Patreon works, in order to reflect these changes to our show lineup. Chiefly (and logically), we’re getting rid of the $75 BSC Afterdark tier, and removing the “get a prompt on BSC Afterdark” from the $10 tier.

We are also removing The Crystal Chronicles as a milestone goal.

Both of these will be replaced by something else in due time… Look a little further down to see what we’re thinking of (and to see how you can help).

We’re also making two other big changes.

Early Release is getting better.

Effective around the end of June and the beginning of July, episodes on the Early Release feed will come out a week early, instead of a day early. We are also raising the price of this perk to $5 per month. This is more valuable, we think, and it brings us closer in line with other Patreon campaigns that offer a similar perk.

We’re going to make a great deal of these changes in the middle of June, and the “1 Week Early” change will happen for any episode that would have normally come out in July.

The only show this doesn’t apply to right now is The Level, which will come out 1-2 days early because of how that show is produced.

We’re changing the Slack access tier.

Effective sometime in June, Slack invites will only go to backers at $5 and up. If you already have access to the Slack team, or access the Slack team before the change is made, then you will be grandfathered in. We will not revoke Slack access from people.

We’re doing this for a couple of reasons. The community is getting very big, and it’s requiring more work and more touch than it did in the past. This will help control that. Additionally, it will reduce the number of drive-bys that happen, as $5 is a bigger investment.

Something to note is that the $1 tier will not go away. Those small donation amounts are huge for us. You will still get access to incidental content, and access to Watch Out for Fireballs! polls.

What are some open questions?

Everything laid out before this paragraph is a decision we’ve already made. We feel like they are good decisions, and we wouldn’t shake things up so much if we didn’t feel so secure in how things are going.

But each big decision is accompanied by multiple smaller decisions. And that’s why we’re running this survey… to gather useful information from you, and to hear your thoughts and ideas about how the network can get better at giving you things you want.

Here are some questions that have gone unanswered, and we want your help.

What’s a good replacement for the $75 tier? That’s a lot of money to give, and we want to make it awesome. Would you want to guest on an episode? Dictate a piece of media for a Try This type show? Dictate the subject of some video content like Let’s Plays?

What kind of new milestones goals would you like to see? Should we do another live show each year? Should we hold a virtual DuckCon? Include more guest episodes on WOFF!?

Do one-off milestones interest you? Not every milestone needs to be an ongoing commitment. Maybe we could do some actual-play tabletop one-offs. Maybe we could set a goal for Gary and Kole to stream some co-op games.

And there are other questions we haven’t even thought to ask. We want to know what would make you a patron if you aren’t one already. We want to know what stuff we do that you care about, and we also want to know what you don’t care about.

We’d also like to hear how you feel about the changes to our biggest shows. We’ve already made our decision about ending Bonfireside Chat, but it’s worth understanding how this will impact your listenership and patronage.

Something we don’t want to hear is “Stick to Games” or “Stop mentioning politics.” We also don’t want to hear “Be more positive.” Save yourself the time and hassle if that’s what you were going to say.

We’re holding a survey.

After this novella of a post, we want to know what you think. Use the button below to fill out the survey. It will be a huge help to us. Completing the survey and selecting “Yes, I would like to enter the contest” will enter you for a chance to win a $20 Steam gift card (we are giving out three of them). We are especially interested in your responses if you’re not already a Patron of Duckfeed.tv on Patreon.

Thank you so much for reading this, if you’ve gotten this far. Your support has meant the world to us, and we are incredibly excited about what these changes mean for the network. Thanks for being along for the ride.

]]>
Episode 155: Super Princess Peachhttps://www.watchoutforfireballs.com/155
c1a2d700-c01c-4f8f-af6f-4842d2e04fb7Thu, 20 Apr 2017 10:00:00 -0400Duckfeed.tvfullDuckfeed.tvGary Butterfield and Kole Ross feel their way through Super Princess Peach.2:21:57yesGary Butterfield and Kole Ross feel their way through Super Princess Peach.
After two decades of being rescued, everyone's favorite princess finally gets a star turn as the hero. Super Princess Peach is an incredibly easy game with some (ahem) problematic elements. But the saccharine trappings hide a mechanically complex game that tries and fails to be a followup to Yoshi's Island.
Gary Butterfield and Kole Ross feel their way through Super Princess Peach.

After two decades of being rescued, everyone's favorite princess finally gets a star turn as the hero. Super Princess Peach is an incredibly easy game with some (ahem) problematic elements. But the saccharine trappings hide a mechanically complex game that tries and fails to be a followup to Yoshi's Island.

]]>
Gary Butterfield and Kole Ross feel their way through Super Princess Peach.

After two decades of being rescued, everyone's favorite princess finally gets a star turn as the hero. Super Princess Peach is an incredibly easy game with some (ahem) problematic elements. But the saccharine trappings hide a mechanically complex game that tries and fails to be a followup to Yoshi's Island.

]]>
Episode 154: Dead Spacehttps://www.watchoutforfireballs.com/154
041eca2d-10df-40e5-869d-a758791a083bThu, 06 Apr 2017 10:00:00 -0400Duckfeed.tvfullDuckfeed.tvGary Butterfield and Kole Ross stomp through Dead Space.3:22:16yesGary Butterfield and Kole Ross stomp through Dead Space.
Resident Evil 4 changed games forever. Especially horror games. Pretty soon it wasn't acceptable for a scary game to sacrifice mechanical sophistication for atmosphere. While the world waited for Resident Evil 5, which would carry the idea further, EA came through with Dead Space. The world and story are science fiction cliches, but the aiming based gameplay loop is incredibly satisfying. But does it hold together enough to make re-entry? Listen to find out.
Gary Butterfield and Kole Ross stomp through Dead Space.

Resident Evil 4 changed games forever. Especially horror games. Pretty soon it wasn't acceptable for a scary game to sacrifice mechanical sophistication for atmosphere. While the world waited for Resident Evil 5, which would carry the idea further, EA came through with Dead Space. The world and story are science fiction cliches, but the aiming based gameplay loop is incredibly satisfying. But does it hold together enough to make re-entry? Listen to find out.

Resident Evil 4 changed games forever. Especially horror games. Pretty soon it wasn't acceptable for a scary game to sacrifice mechanical sophistication for atmosphere. While the world waited for Resident Evil 5, which would carry the idea further, EA came through with Dead Space. The world and story are science fiction cliches, but the aiming based gameplay loop is incredibly satisfying. But does it hold together enough to make re-entry? Listen to find out.

]]>
Episode 153e: Extrasode: Tomb Raiderhttps://www.watchoutforfireballs.com/153e
f8b874d7-1431-48f3-ad00-8dbbadd5e945Thu, 30 Mar 2017 10:00:00 -0400Duckfeed.tvfullDuckfeed.tvGary Butterfield and Kole Ross read your responses to Tomb Raider.15:36yesGary Butterfield and Kole Ross read your responses to Tomb Raider.
Gary Butterfield and Kole Ross read your responses to Tomb Raider.]]>
Gary Butterfield and Kole Ross read your responses to Tomb Raider.]]>
Episode 153: Tomb Raiderhttps://www.watchoutforfireballs.com/153
eb44bacd-d855-4e64-8140-6a5b7dccb5d0Wed, 22 Mar 2017 14:00:00 -0400Duckfeed.tvfullDuckfeed.tvGary Butterfield and Kole Ross rise to talk about Tomb Raider (1996).2:45:00yesGary Butterfield and Kole Ross rise to talk about Tomb Raider (1996).
For as important as Tomb Raider and Lara Croft are to the history of games, it's surprising it's taken us this long to cover her debut. So we extend our thanks to Allison Baker for getting us off of our asses to talk about this bizarre early evolution in 3D platforming and cinematic play. It's a game that's very much of its era. It's way too long, it becomes downright hateful in its last act, and not everything is there, but over all the game lives up to its reputation.
Gary Butterfield and Kole Ross rise to talk about Tomb Raider (1996).

For as important as Tomb Raider and Lara Croft are to the history of games, it's surprising it's taken us this long to cover her debut. So we extend our thanks to Allison Baker for getting us off of our asses to talk about this bizarre early evolution in 3D platforming and cinematic play. It's a game that's very much of its era. It's way too long, it becomes downright hateful in its last act, and not everything is there, but over all the game lives up to its reputation.

For as important as Tomb Raider and Lara Croft are to the history of games, it's surprising it's taken us this long to cover her debut. So we extend our thanks to Allison Baker for getting us off of our asses to talk about this bizarre early evolution in 3D platforming and cinematic play. It's a game that's very much of its era. It's way too long, it becomes downright hateful in its last act, and not everything is there, but over all the game lives up to its reputation.

]]>
Episode 152: Nintendo Powerhttps://www.watchoutforfireballs.com/152
b7d57afa-bad0-4502-82e4-76c43501ea07Thu, 09 Mar 2017 10:00:00 -0500Duckfeed.tvfullDuckfeed.tvGary Butterfield and Kole Ross thumb through the history of Nintendo Power, and visit some other game magazines along the way.2:33:04noGary Butterfield and Kole Ross thumb through the history of Nintendo Power, and visit some other game magazines along the way.
Every year we choose a special topic for a special episode, and we've wanted to cover this year's topic for a while: Nintendo Power. While this magazine was specific to America, most major regions had their own version of an official Nintendo sponsored publication. This episode takes a look at the history of the magazine, talks about the usual contents, and reflects on video game magazines as a whole.
Thanks to everyone who voted in the poll that determined the topic of this episode. We really appreciate it!
Gary Butterfield and Kole Ross thumb through the history of Nintendo Power, and visit some other game magazines along the way.

Every year we choose a special topic for a special episode, and we've wanted to cover this year's topic for a while: Nintendo Power. While this magazine was specific to America, most major regions had their own version of an official Nintendo sponsored publication. This episode takes a look at the history of the magazine, talks about the usual contents, and reflects on video game magazines as a whole.

Thanks to everyone who voted in the poll that determined the topic of this episode. We really appreciate it!

]]>
Gary Butterfield and Kole Ross thumb through the history of Nintendo Power, and visit some other game magazines along the way.

Every year we choose a special topic for a special episode, and we've wanted to cover this year's topic for a while: Nintendo Power. While this magazine was specific to America, most major regions had their own version of an official Nintendo sponsored publication. This episode takes a look at the history of the magazine, talks about the usual contents, and reflects on video game magazines as a whole.

Thanks to everyone who voted in the poll that determined the topic of this episode. We really appreciate it!

]]>
Episode 151: Shadow of Destinyhttps://www.watchoutforfireballs.com/151
3bf49b3d-5256-47f9-bc63-08f2fbdc3dcdThu, 23 Feb 2017 10:00:00 -0500Duckfeed.tvfullDuckfeed.tvGary Butterfield and Kole Ross will always have been talking about Shadow of Destiny (or also Shadow of Memories).2:38:37yesGary Butterfield and Kole Ross will always have been talking about Shadow of Destiny (or also Shadow of Memories).
If you're sensitive to us being negative about games, this might be one to skip. Eike Kusch is fated to die, but a strange interloper has given him the power to manipulate time itself so he can find out who killed him (and why). From that great premise springs a truly awkward adventure game, filled with early PS2 charm, but completely baffling. On the plus side, it serves as a very good example of how not to do time travel puzzles.
Gary Butterfield and Kole Ross will always have been talking about Shadow of Destiny (or also Shadow of Memories).

If you're sensitive to us being negative about games, this might be one to skip. Eike Kusch is fated to die, but a strange interloper has given him the power to manipulate time itself so he can find out who killed him (and why). From that great premise springs a truly awkward adventure game, filled with early PS2 charm, but completely baffling. On the plus side, it serves as a very good example of how not to do time travel puzzles.

]]>
Gary Butterfield and Kole Ross will always have been talking about Shadow of Destiny (or also Shadow of Memories).

If you're sensitive to us being negative about games, this might be one to skip. Eike Kusch is fated to die, but a strange interloper has given him the power to manipulate time itself so he can find out who killed him (and why). From that great premise springs a truly awkward adventure game, filled with early PS2 charm, but completely baffling. On the plus side, it serves as a very good example of how not to do time travel puzzles.

]]>
Episode 150: Castlevania: Symphony of the Nighthttps://www.watchoutforfireballs.com/150
78b1f6c4-80fc-488d-8bf3-8ee8718140c3Thu, 09 Feb 2017 10:00:00 -0500Duckfeed.tvfullDuckfeed.tvGary Butterfield and Kole Ross delve through Castlevania: Symphony of the Night for our 150th episode spectacular!3:04:26yesGary Butterfield and Kole Ross delve through Castlevania: Symphony of the Night for our 150th episode spectacular!
We're creatures of habit and pattern, not creatures of the night. Whenever we hit one of these big anniversary episodes, we want to blow the doors off and really play something noteworthy. Symphony of the Night is one of the most beloved games of all time. It took elements of Super Metroid, added RPG elements, and created a genre that still dominates certain parts of the industry. But looking back, we try to decide if it all hangs together as well as we remember.
Thanks so much for listening and joining us for 150 episodes (and more).
Gary Butterfield and Kole Ross delve through Castlevania: Symphony of the Night for our 150th episode spectacular!

We're creatures of habit and pattern, not creatures of the night. Whenever we hit one of these big anniversary episodes, we want to blow the doors off and really play something noteworthy. Symphony of the Night is one of the most beloved games of all time. It took elements of Super Metroid, added RPG elements, and created a genre that still dominates certain parts of the industry. But looking back, we try to decide if it all hangs together as well as we remember.

Thanks so much for listening and joining us for 150 episodes (and more).

We're creatures of habit and pattern, not creatures of the night. Whenever we hit one of these big anniversary episodes, we want to blow the doors off and really play something noteworthy. Symphony of the Night is one of the most beloved games of all time. It took elements of Super Metroid, added RPG elements, and created a genre that still dominates certain parts of the industry. But looking back, we try to decide if it all hangs together as well as we remember.

Thanks so much for listening and joining us for 150 episodes (and more).

]]>
Episode 149: Dishonored 2https://www.watchoutforfireballs.com/149
ab874761-24d4-4a7f-a088-8731c663e814Sun, 22 Jan 2017 19:00:00 -0500Duckfeed.tvfullDuckfeed.tvGary Butterfield and Kole Ross take a vacation to the present to talk about Dishonored 2.3:28:56yesGary Butterfield and Kole Ross take a vacation to the present to talk about Dishonored 2.
The original Dishonored is an amazing game with a pedigree that made it perfect fodder for the show. Following in the footsteps of Deus Ex and Thief, this series was always going to be something we'd swoon over. That said, would Arkane be able to top themselves the second time around? Listen to find out... but the short answer is this: Extra refinements to the play somewhat paper over some story, world, and thematic shortfalls that still end up being bummers in their own right.
Gary Butterfield and Kole Ross take a vacation to the present to talk about Dishonored 2.

The original Dishonored is an amazing game with a pedigree that made it perfect fodder for the show. Following in the footsteps of Deus Ex and Thief, this series was always going to be something we'd swoon over. That said, would Arkane be able to top themselves the second time around? Listen to find out... but the short answer is this: Extra refinements to the play somewhat paper over some story, world, and thematic shortfalls that still end up being bummers in their own right.

]]>
Gary Butterfield and Kole Ross take a vacation to the present to talk about Dishonored 2.

The original Dishonored is an amazing game with a pedigree that made it perfect fodder for the show. Following in the footsteps of Deus Ex and Thief, this series was always going to be something we'd swoon over. That said, would Arkane be able to top themselves the second time around? Listen to find out... but the short answer is this: Extra refinements to the play somewhat paper over some story, world, and thematic shortfalls that still end up being bummers in their own right.

]]>
Episode 148: Mega Man 2 and 3https://www.watchoutforfireballs.com/148
4772fee6-3762-4537-9145-342dcbd91e97Thu, 12 Jan 2017 10:00:00 -0500Duckfeed.tvfullDuckfeed.tvGary Butterfield and Kole Ross flash through Mega Man 2 and Mega Man 2.3:09:10yesGary Butterfield and Kole Ross flash through Mega Man 2 and Mega Man 2.
We're home again. Watch Out for Fireballs! began with an episode about Mega Man X, and now it's time to talk about Capcom's platforming superstar at the height of his powers. After a shaky debut in Mega Man 1, Mega Man 2 came out of the gate as one of the best games of all time, with memorable stages, music, and bosses. Mega Man 3 iterated on that formula and maybe reached a little too far, but it's still some top tier NES stuff.
Gary Butterfield and Kole Ross flash through Mega Man 2 and Mega Man 2.

We're home again. Watch Out for Fireballs! began with an episode about Mega Man X, and now it's time to talk about Capcom's platforming superstar at the height of his powers. After a shaky debut in Mega Man 1, Mega Man 2 came out of the gate as one of the best games of all time, with memorable stages, music, and bosses. Mega Man 3 iterated on that formula and maybe reached a little too far, but it's still some top tier NES stuff.

We're home again. Watch Out for Fireballs! began with an episode about Mega Man X, and now it's time to talk about Capcom's platforming superstar at the height of his powers. After a shaky debut in Mega Man 1, Mega Man 2 came out of the gate as one of the best games of all time, with memorable stages, music, and bosses. Mega Man 3 iterated on that formula and maybe reached a little too far, but it's still some top tier NES stuff.

LINKS OF NOTE:

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Episode 147: Mask of the Betrayer (Part 2)https://www.watchoutforfireballs.com/147
959a039a-8318-4fbc-bb87-7b398395f461Thu, 29 Dec 2016 10:00:00 -0500Duckfeed.tvfullDuckfeed.tvGary Butterfield and Kole Ross absorb the second portion of Mask of the Betrayer.2:10:05noGary Butterfield and Kole Ross absorb the second portion of Mask of the Betrayer.
The story continues AND the plot thickens, as we learn more about the nature of our curse and take the battle to the gods themselves. Seriously, just play this game.
LINKS OF NOTE:
Monster in my Podcast on Dao (http://www.monsterinmypodcast.com/82)
House of a Thousand Corpses (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fg1GiV7TXR4)
Sebastian's Friends (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CLPpXNhL9z8)
This jerk (http://www.dailykos.com/stories/2016/12/12/1610198/-Be-happy-for-coal-miners-losing-their-health-insurance-They-re-getting-exactly-what-they-voted-for)
I am a Cuck (https://soundcloud.com/timheidecker/i-am-a-cuck)
Evil LP. Mandatory reading (http://lparchive.org/Neverwinter-Nights-2-Mask-of-the-Betrayer/Update%2044/)
Gary Butterfield and Kole Ross absorb the second portion of Mask of the Betrayer.

The story continues AND the plot thickens, as we learn more about the nature of our curse and take the battle to the gods themselves. Seriously, just play this game.

LINKS OF NOTE:

]]>
Episode 146: Mask of the Betrayer (Part 1)https://www.watchoutforfireballs.com/146
609acd58-3784-40f1-8a1d-bad9ba14d1d9Thu, 22 Dec 2016 10:00:00 -0500Duckfeed.tvfullDuckfeed.tvGary Butterfield and Kole Ross devour the first half of Mask of the Betrayer, the first expansion pack for Neverwinter Nights 2.2:04:27noGary Butterfield and Kole Ross devour the first half of Mask of the Betrayer, the first expansion pack for Neverwinter Nights 2.
Guess what... it's the Fireworks Factory! We laid out our case about Neverwinter Nights 2, painting it as a mechanically troubled game that occasionally rose above standard Forgotten Realms fare for some inspired story beats. However, the Mask of the Betrayer expansion pack is all killer, no filler. This episode covers up until midway through Chapter 2.
LINKS OF NOTE:
Torment Episodes (http://www.watchoutforfireballs.com/17)
Baba Yaga (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_QqsA-nz6g4)
Wayne the Skeleton King (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DPcYsBB9CTQ)
Lobos Jr (https://www.twitch.tv/lobosjr)
Okami (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g3WdWPKASqI)
Gary Butterfield and Kole Ross devour the first half of Mask of the Betrayer, the first expansion pack for Neverwinter Nights 2.

Guess what... it's the Fireworks Factory! We laid out our case about Neverwinter Nights 2, painting it as a mechanically troubled game that occasionally rose above standard Forgotten Realms fare for some inspired story beats. However, the Mask of the Betrayer expansion pack is all killer, no filler. This episode covers up until midway through Chapter 2.

LINKS OF NOTE:

]]>
Gary Butterfield and Kole Ross devour the first half of Mask of the Betrayer, the first expansion pack for Neverwinter Nights 2.

Guess what... it's the Fireworks Factory! We laid out our case about Neverwinter Nights 2, painting it as a mechanically troubled game that occasionally rose above standard Forgotten Realms fare for some inspired story beats. However, the Mask of the Betrayer expansion pack is all killer, no filler. This episode covers up until midway through Chapter 2.

LINKS OF NOTE:

]]>
Episode 145: Neverwinter Nights 2 (Part 2)https://www.watchoutforfireballs.com/145
999a8207-14fb-49c5-8591-832d1441ad64Thu, 15 Dec 2016 10:00:00 -0500Duckfeed.tvfullDuckfeed.tvGary Butterfield and Kole Ross crumble over the back half of Neverwinter Nights 2.2:36:47noGary Butterfield and Kole Ross crumble over the back half of Neverwinter Nights 2.
This episode picks up where the last left off, covering all of Chapter 2 and Chapter 3. This period of the game includes some of the best stuff... the Trial, the Crossroad Keep mechanic, and Ammon Jerro's lair. Be sure to join us next week when we begin our discussion of the Mask of the Betrayer expansion.
Gary Butterfield and Kole Ross crumble over the back half of Neverwinter Nights 2.

This episode picks up where the last left off, covering all of Chapter 2 and Chapter 3. This period of the game includes some of the best stuff... the Trial, the Crossroad Keep mechanic, and Ammon Jerro's lair. Be sure to join us next week when we begin our discussion of the Mask of the Betrayer expansion.

]]>
Gary Butterfield and Kole Ross crumble over the back half of Neverwinter Nights 2.

This episode picks up where the last left off, covering all of Chapter 2 and Chapter 3. This period of the game includes some of the best stuff... the Trial, the Crossroad Keep mechanic, and Ammon Jerro's lair. Be sure to join us next week when we begin our discussion of the Mask of the Betrayer expansion.

]]>
Episode 144: Neverwinter Nights 2 (Part 1)https://www.watchoutforfireballs.com/144
96519674-6079-43f2-861f-70b4b110e8a2Thu, 08 Dec 2016 10:00:00 -0500Duckfeed.tvfullDuckfeed.tvGary Butterfield and Kole Ross roll on through the first portion of Neverwinter Nights 2.2:11:57noGary Butterfield and Kole Ross roll on through the first portion of Neverwinter Nights 2.
Let's face it, this is an awkward, awkward game. They heydey of Dungeons and Dragons CRPGs didn't involve 3D graphics or voice acting, and Neverwinter Nights 2 leans on those when it ought not to. But that doesn't mean there's nothing to recommend it. Beyond the infuriating camera, you will find a really fun adaptation of the D&amp;D 3.5 ruleset, and some very inventive story beats.
This episode covers the entirety of Chapter 1. The next episode will cover Chapters 2 and 3.
Gary Butterfield and Kole Ross roll on through the first portion of Neverwinter Nights 2.

Let's face it, this is an awkward, awkward game. They heydey of Dungeons and Dragons CRPGs didn't involve 3D graphics or voice acting, and Neverwinter Nights 2 leans on those when it ought not to. But that doesn't mean there's nothing to recommend it. Beyond the infuriating camera, you will find a really fun adaptation of the D&D 3.5 ruleset, and some very inventive story beats.

This episode covers the entirety of Chapter 1. The next episode will cover Chapters 2 and 3.

]]>
Gary Butterfield and Kole Ross roll on through the first portion of Neverwinter Nights 2.

Let's face it, this is an awkward, awkward game. They heydey of Dungeons and Dragons CRPGs didn't involve 3D graphics or voice acting, and Neverwinter Nights 2 leans on those when it ought not to. But that doesn't mean there's nothing to recommend it. Beyond the infuriating camera, you will find a really fun adaptation of the D&D 3.5 ruleset, and some very inventive story beats.

This episode covers the entirety of Chapter 1. The next episode will cover Chapters 2 and 3.

]]>
Extrasode: Pokémon Yellowhttps://www.watchoutforfireballs.com/143e
ac7f7d07-3394-49df-b902-570b327324d4Thu, 01 Dec 2016 10:00:00 -0500Duckfeed.tvfullDuckfeed.tvGary Butterfield and Kole Ross recount their stories of the Portland Retro Gaming Expo, and read some of your thoughts about Pokémon Yellow.48:14noGary Butterfield and Kole Ross recount their stories of the Portland Retro Gaming Expo, and read some of your thoughts about Pokémon Yellow.
Gary Butterfield and Kole Ross recount their stories of the Portland Retro Gaming Expo, and read some of your thoughts about Pokémon Yellow.]]>
Gary Butterfield and Kole Ross recount their stories of the Portland Retro Gaming Expo, and read some of your thoughts about Pokémon Yellow.]]>
Episode 143: Pokemon Yellowhttps://www.watchoutforfireballs.com/143
048f79af-b48e-40a4-bacc-518ade3c9e04Thu, 24 Nov 2016 10:00:00 -0500Duckfeed.tvfullDuckfeed.tvGary Butterfield and Kole Ross capture the hearts of PRGE by talking about Pokémon Yellow.53:00noGary Butterfield and Kole Ross capture the hearts of PRGE by talking about Pokémon Yellow.
This is our Portland Retro Gaming Expo live show for 2016, where we talk about Pokémon Yellow, and Gen1 Pokémon in general. The game is an archaic drag mechanically, but it has the fundamental core that Nintendo would polish to a shine over the years. And boy-oh-boy, that personality!
Thanks so much to everyone who came out and joined us at PRGE this year. We look forward to seeing you again.
Gary Butterfield and Kole Ross capture the hearts of PRGE by talking about Pokémon Yellow.

This is our Portland Retro Gaming Expo live show for 2016, where we talk about Pokémon Yellow, and Gen1 Pokémon in general. The game is an archaic drag mechanically, but it has the fundamental core that Nintendo would polish to a shine over the years. And boy-oh-boy, that personality!

Thanks so much to everyone who came out and joined us at PRGE this year. We look forward to seeing you again.

]]>
Gary Butterfield and Kole Ross capture the hearts of PRGE by talking about Pokémon Yellow.

This is our Portland Retro Gaming Expo live show for 2016, where we talk about Pokémon Yellow, and Gen1 Pokémon in general. The game is an archaic drag mechanically, but it has the fundamental core that Nintendo would polish to a shine over the years. And boy-oh-boy, that personality!

Thanks so much to everyone who came out and joined us at PRGE this year. We look forward to seeing you again.

]]>
Extrasode: Bastionhttps://www.watchoutforfireballs.com/142e
84bad21a-316e-4d33-b354-6015708a27f6Thu, 17 Nov 2016 10:00:00 -0500Duckfeed.tvfullDuckfeed.tvGary Butterfield and Kole Ross read your responses to Bastion.14:37noGary Butterfield and Kole Ross read your responses to Bastion.
Gary Butterfield and Kole Ross read your responses to Bastion.]]>
Gary Butterfield and Kole Ross read your responses to Bastion.]]>
Episode 142: Bastionhttps://www.watchoutforfireballs.com/142
4892fa73-dfc8-433a-8df2-09cc873f37c3Thu, 10 Nov 2016 10:00:00 -0500Duckfeed.tvfullDuckfeed.tvGary Butterfield and Kole Ross talk over Bastion's narration.2:21:57noGary Butterfield and Kole Ross talk over Bastion's narration.
It's a newer game, but ancient when it comes to the fast-moving indie scene. The Kid is on a mission to reassemble the old world after a Calamity, but at what price? Bastion takes the action RPG formula and leans heavy on player choice and mechanical intricacy. Mixed with its poignant story and pitch perfect presentation, Bastion truly earns its spot on this show.
Gary Butterfield and Kole Ross talk over Bastion's narration.

It's a newer game, but ancient when it comes to the fast-moving indie scene. The Kid is on a mission to reassemble the old world after a Calamity, but at what price? Bastion takes the action RPG formula and leans heavy on player choice and mechanical intricacy. Mixed with its poignant story and pitch perfect presentation, Bastion truly earns its spot on this show.

]]>
Gary Butterfield and Kole Ross talk over Bastion's narration.

It's a newer game, but ancient when it comes to the fast-moving indie scene. The Kid is on a mission to reassemble the old world after a Calamity, but at what price? Bastion takes the action RPG formula and leans heavy on player choice and mechanical intricacy. Mixed with its poignant story and pitch perfect presentation, Bastion truly earns its spot on this show.

]]>
Episode 141: Resident Evil 4https://www.watchoutforfireballs.com/141
aa947fc3-672d-4de3-8b13-f84087b26341Thu, 27 Oct 2016 10:00:00 -0400Duckfeed.tvfullDuckfeed.tvGary Butterfield and Kole Ross burst with joy over Resident Evil 4.4:11:05noGary Butterfield and Kole Ross burst with joy over Resident Evil 4.
We held off on playing this game for too long. There's so much going on here. So much great design, so many memorable moments, that our discussion of Resident Evil 4 is our longest single episode to date. Leon Kennedy is back, this time on a mission to rescue the President's daughter Ashley from a mysterious cult in rural Spain. His mission marks a turning point for the Resident Evil series, for Survival Horror, and for all action games that followed it.
Gary Butterfield and Kole Ross burst with joy over Resident Evil 4.

We held off on playing this game for too long. There's so much going on here. So much great design, so many memorable moments, that our discussion of Resident Evil 4 is our longest single episode to date. Leon Kennedy is back, this time on a mission to rescue the President's daughter Ashley from a mysterious cult in rural Spain. His mission marks a turning point for the Resident Evil series, for Survival Horror, and for all action games that followed it.

We held off on playing this game for too long. There's so much going on here. So much great design, so many memorable moments, that our discussion of Resident Evil 4 is our longest single episode to date. Leon Kennedy is back, this time on a mission to rescue the President's daughter Ashley from a mysterious cult in rural Spain. His mission marks a turning point for the Resident Evil series, for Survival Horror, and for all action games that followed it.

]]>
Extrasode: Punch-Out!!https://www.watchoutforfireballs.com/140e
493b4bea-cc6f-471b-9af1-425af073c405Thu, 20 Oct 2016 10:00:00 -0400Duckfeed.tvfullDuckfeed.tvGary Butterfield and Kole Ross talk about the experience of talking about Punch-Out!! at the Austin Classic Game Fest 2016.49:46noGary Butterfield and Kole Ross talk about the experience of talking about Punch-Out!! at the Austin Classic Game Fest 2016.
Gary Butterfield and Kole Ross talk about the experience of talking about Punch-Out!! at the Austin Classic Game Fest 2016.

]]>
Duckfeed.tv State of the Unionhttps://www.watchoutforfireballs.com/stateoftheunion-2016
1f3fd55b-7248-4f8c-a1f7-b43ee6caa907Fri, 14 Oct 2016 11:00:00 -0400Duckfeed.tvfullDuckfeed.tvThis is a special announcement about a few important policy things, and a few big changes to our Patreon campaign. It's all good stuff. Please direct your attention to www.patreon.com/posts/duckfeed-state-7001000 for the full text of the announcement, and pose all of your questions as comments on that post. Thanks!42:58noThis is a special announcement about a few important policy things, and a few big changes to our Patreon campaign. It's all good stuff. Please direct your attention to the public post on Patreon for the full text of the announcement (www.patreon.com/posts/duckfeed-state-7001000), and pose all of your questions as comments on that post. Thanks!
This is a special announcement about a few important policy things, and a few big changes to our Patreon campaign. It's all good stuff. [Please direct your attention to the public post on Patreon for the full text of the announcement](www.patreon.com/posts/duckfeed-state-7001000), and pose all of your questions as comments on that post. Thanks!]]>
This is a special announcement about a few important policy things, and a few big changes to our Patreon campaign. It's all good stuff. [Please direct your attention to the public post on Patreon for the full text of the announcement](www.patreon.com/posts/duckfeed-state-7001000), and pose all of your questions as comments on that post. Thanks!]]>
Episode 140: Punch Out!!https://www.watchoutforfireballs.com/140
7c684202-1bba-4ec6-bdc8-eb0b4f99e196Thu, 13 Oct 2016 10:00:00 -0400Duckfeed.tvfullDuckfeed.tvGary Butterfield and Kole Ross talk about Punch-Out!!... again.1:13:11noGary Butterfield and Kole Ross talk about Punch-Out!!... again.
You'll hear the sordid story about what happened in the episode, but suffice to say that we ended up having to re-record our live episode about Punch-Out!! We love this game so much that we didn't want our only episode about it to be compromised by a live band playing loudly in the background. So, listen as we extoll the virtues of this sports game that's not really a sports game.
If you want to hear the full live recording, it's available for all of our patrons on Patreon (see the links below).
Gary Butterfield and Kole Ross talk about Punch-Out!!... again.

You'll hear the sordid story about what happened in the episode, but suffice to say that we ended up having to re-record our live episode about Punch-Out!! We love this game so much that we didn't want our only episode about it to be compromised by a live band playing loudly in the background. So, listen as we extoll the virtues of this sports game that's not really a sports game.

If you want to hear the full live recording, it's available for all of our patrons on Patreon (see the links below).

You'll hear the sordid story about what happened in the episode, but suffice to say that we ended up having to re-record our live episode about Punch-Out!! We love this game so much that we didn't want our only episode about it to be compromised by a live band playing loudly in the background. So, listen as we extoll the virtues of this sports game that's not really a sports game.

If you want to hear the full live recording, it's available for all of our patrons on Patreon (see the links below).

]]>
Episode 139: 139: Super Mario Galaxyhttps://www.watchoutforfireballs.com/139
4814c3c5-2934-4d7f-8dbf-1ec9ca758961Thu, 29 Sep 2016 08:00:00 -0400Duckfeed.tvfullDuckfeed.tvGary Butterfield and Kole Ross cram-jam Super Mario Galaxy.
2:45:05yesGary Butterfield and Kole Ross cram-jam Super Mario Galaxy.
3D Mario is a tricky thing. Though Mario 64 forged a path, it arrived at a different feeling and flow than we were used to in our 2D Mario games. Over a couple of iterations, it feels like Nintendo finally arrived at the apotheosis of SM64-style play... and then they promptly abandoned it. So, let's take a close look at this weirdo entry in gaming's most established series.
Gary Butterfield and Kole Ross cram-jam Super Mario Galaxy.

3D Mario is a tricky thing. Though Mario 64 forged a path, it arrived at a different feeling and flow than we were used to in our 2D Mario games. Over a couple of iterations, it feels like Nintendo finally arrived at the apotheosis of SM64-style play... and then they promptly abandoned it. So, let's take a close look at this weirdo entry in gaming's most established series.

3D Mario is a tricky thing. Though Mario 64 forged a path, it arrived at a different feeling and flow than we were used to in our 2D Mario games. Over a couple of iterations, it feels like Nintendo finally arrived at the apotheosis of SM64-style play... and then they promptly abandoned it. So, let's take a close look at this weirdo entry in gaming's most established series.

LINKS OF NOTE:

]]>
Episode 138: Starflight / Toe Jam & Earlhttps://www.watchoutforfireballs.com/138
55774ffb-b09e-4554-b207-2e1c4a2326e9Wed, 14 Sep 2016 20:00:00 -0400Duckfeed.tvfullDuckfeed.tvGary Butterfield and Kole Ross blast off and crash down with Starflight and Toe Jam & Earl.
3:15:37yesGary Butterfield and Kole Ross blast off and crash down with Starflight and Toe Jam &amp; Earl.
This is the "Genesis Games that Want to be PC Games" special, as we look at two bizarre console titles from the early 90s. Starflight is the prototypical galaxy exploration simulator, with a wide world and tons of character. Meanwhile, Toe Jam &amp; Earl is an early take on a rogue-lite whose style doesn't quite make up for its mechanical shortcomings.
LINKS OF NOTE:
Starflight Manual (http://segaretro.org/File:Starflight_MD_US_Manual.pdf)
Earth Virginnys (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RYsO6EcuxbM)
TMNT Tiger Game (http://www.gamertheory.com/uploads/stories/Tiger-Konami-TMNT.jpg)
Jeeps (http://www.achewood.com/index.php?date=03212006)
Kole definitely wrote this (http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=kole)
AS on I wanna be the guy (http://duckfeed.tv/abjectsuffering/108)
TJ+E Manual (http://segaretro.org/ToeJam_%26_Earl)
Guy's Grocery Games (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7IYuR2tBx6o)
Metta (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mett%C4%81)
Orgone (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pllRW9wETzw)
Kickstarter (https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1578116861/toejam-and-earl-back-in-the-groove)
Gary Butterfield and Kole Ross blast off and crash down with Starflight and Toe Jam & Earl.

This is the "Genesis Games that Want to be PC Games" special, as we look at two bizarre console titles from the early 90s. Starflight is the prototypical galaxy exploration simulator, with a wide world and tons of character. Meanwhile, Toe Jam & Earl is an early take on a rogue-lite whose style doesn't quite make up for its mechanical shortcomings.

LINKS OF NOTE:

]]>
Gary Butterfield and Kole Ross blast off and crash down with Starflight and Toe Jam & Earl.

This is the "Genesis Games that Want to be PC Games" special, as we look at two bizarre console titles from the early 90s. Starflight is the prototypical galaxy exploration simulator, with a wide world and tons of character. Meanwhile, Toe Jam & Earl is an early take on a rogue-lite whose style doesn't quite make up for its mechanical shortcomings.

LINKS OF NOTE:

]]>
Episode 137: Team Fortress 2https://www.watchoutforfireballs.com/137
tag:soundcloud,2010:tracks/280937290Thu, 01 Sep 2016 13:00:00 -0400Duckfeed.tvfullDuckfeed.tvGary Butterfield and Kole Ross gang up to talk about Team Fortress 2.
2:43:40yesGary Butterfield and Kole Ross gang up to talk about Team Fortress 2.
For our fifth anniversary show, we wanted to do something special. We wanted to play a classic game with our community, and it turns out choosing Team Fortress 2 was a great move. Team Fortress goes way back, but Valve has taken the formula and engineered and iterated it to the point where it's a joy to play. Huge thanks to everyone who played with us!
LINKS OF NOTE:
Battlefield Commander Mode (battlefield.wikia.com/wiki/Commander_(Feature))
Norman Rockwell (www.nrm.org/)
Who's that Pokemon!? (gearoid.me/pokemon/)
4d3d3d3 (4d3d3d3.com/)
Dam Scene from Vacation (www.youtube.com/watch?v=SnmX4f6VBRw)
Expiration Date (www.youtube.com/watch?v=GLlLQ3LmZWU)
TF2 PSAs (www.youtube.com/watch?v=6cm2iFmASBc)
Muramasa (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muramasa)
Gary Butterfield and Kole Ross gang up to talk about Team Fortress 2.

For our fifth anniversary show, we wanted to do something special. We wanted to play a classic game with our community, and it turns out choosing Team Fortress 2 was a great move. Team Fortress goes way back, but Valve has taken the formula and engineered and iterated it to the point where it's a joy to play. Huge thanks to everyone who played with us!

]]>
Gary Butterfield and Kole Ross gang up to talk about Team Fortress 2.

For our fifth anniversary show, we wanted to do something special. We wanted to play a classic game with our community, and it turns out choosing Team Fortress 2 was a great move. Team Fortress goes way back, but Valve has taken the formula and engineered and iterated it to the point where it's a joy to play. Huge thanks to everyone who played with us!

LINKS OF NOTE:

]]>
Episode 136: Phantasy Star IV (Part 2)https://www.watchoutforfireballs.com/136
tag:soundcloud,2010:tracks/278844788Thu, 18 Aug 2016 14:00:00 -0400Duckfeed.tvfullDuckfeed.tvGary Butterfield and Kole Ross launch through the latter portion of Phantasy Star IV: The End of the Millennium.
1:26:36yesGary Butterfield and Kole Ross launch through the latter portion of Phantasy Star IV: The End of the Millennium.
It's now time to leave Motavia and head to Dezolis, because the Algo solar system is in peril. Can we fix the systems, retrieve the data, and conquer the Darkness?
LINKS OF NOTE:
This Guy Fucks (www.youtube.com/watch?v=_uMEE7eaaUA)
Amazing Rick and Morty court thing (www.youtube.com/watch?v=pkFaIxpbHvM)
There is very little on these enigmatic monsters (www.youtube.com/watch?v=LxP_SwZfINc)
Gary Butterfield and Kole Ross launch through the latter portion of Phantasy Star IV: The End of the Millennium.

It's now time to leave Motavia and head to Dezolis, because the Algo solar system is in peril. Can we fix the systems, retrieve the data, and conquer the Darkness?

]]>
Episode 135: Phantasy Star IV (Part 1)https://www.watchoutforfireballs.com/135
tag:soundcloud,2010:tracks/277874127Thu, 11 Aug 2016 17:00:00 -0400Duckfeed.tvfullDuckfeed.tvGary Butterfield and Kole Ross soar through Phantasy Star IV: The End of the Millennium.
1:47:30yesGary Butterfield and Kole Ross soar through Phantasy Star IV: The End of the Millennium.
We're guilty of focusing on Final Fantasy games when we talk about JRPGs because that's mostly what we grew up with. However, concurrently, there was a whole big, important series living and thriving on Sega systems, doing amazing forward looking things before it died an unceremonious death. Phantasy Star IV is considered to be the best, most friendly iteration of the main series, and you should join us to hear about how prescient it was in terms of design.
LINKS OF NOTE:
Vancian Magic (theevilgm.wordpress.com/2012/02/03/a-…ancian-magic/)
Sparkly the Crow (demonssouls.wikidot.com/crow)
Man-Thing (marvel.com/universe/Man-Thing)
Wild Arms Credits (www.youtube.com/watch?v=muDfmLwBvjM)
Gary Butterfield and Kole Ross soar through Phantasy Star IV: The End of the Millennium.

We're guilty of focusing on Final Fantasy games when we talk about JRPGs because that's mostly what we grew up with. However, concurrently, there was a whole big, important series living and thriving on Sega systems, doing amazing forward looking things before it died an unceremonious death. Phantasy Star IV is considered to be the best, most friendly iteration of the main series, and you should join us to hear about how prescient it was in terms of design.

]]>
Gary Butterfield and Kole Ross soar through Phantasy Star IV: The End of the Millennium.

We're guilty of focusing on Final Fantasy games when we talk about JRPGs because that's mostly what we grew up with. However, concurrently, there was a whole big, important series living and thriving on Sega systems, doing amazing forward looking things before it died an unceremonious death. Phantasy Star IV is considered to be the best, most friendly iteration of the main series, and you should join us to hear about how prescient it was in terms of design.

This summer, we decided to let our listeners decide which rhythm games we should play. The resounding winners were to non-peripheral Nintendo DS rhythm games that couldn't be any more different. Elite Beat Agents is soaking in charm, but we find a lot of problems with it mechanically and musically. Meanwhile, Rhythm Heaven is drenched in charm, and manages to be in the upper echelon of games we've played for the show.

This summer, we decided to let our listeners decide which rhythm games we should play. The resounding winners were to non-peripheral Nintendo DS rhythm games that couldn't be any more different. Elite Beat Agents is soaking in charm, but we find a lot of problems with it mechanically and musically. Meanwhile, Rhythm Heaven is drenched in charm, and manages to be in the upper echelon of games we've played for the show.

]]>
Episode 133: Deus Ex: Invisible Warhttps://www.watchoutforfireballs.com/133
tag:soundcloud,2010:tracks/273704826Thu, 14 Jul 2016 16:00:00 -0400Duckfeed.tvfullDuckfeed.tvGary Butterfield and Kole Ross link up to talk about Deus Ex: Invisible War.
2:41:46yesGary Butterfield and Kole Ross link up to talk about Deus Ex: Invisible War.
How do you follow up a masterpiece? Almost never with another masterpiece. Invisible War has some real problems, but taken on its own it's a perfectly competent shooter with some really great ideas and a fantastic reveal. Don't expect a game that redefines any genres, and you'll be fine.
LINKS OF NOTE:
DX Bartender (www.youtube.com/watch?v=JKF0IYwhrjk)
Post Mortem (www.youtube.com/watch?v=MGIdYl2oN74)
Grey Goo (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grey_goo)
Bender Grey Goo (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benderama)
Stroke 9 (www.youtube.com/watch?v=hIeOUe6BCFs)
Kidneythieves (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kidneythieves)
Duck Squeeze (www.youtube.com/watch?v=nHc288IPFzk)
Gary Butterfield and Kole Ross link up to talk about Deus Ex: Invisible War.

How do you follow up a masterpiece? Almost never with another masterpiece. Invisible War has some real problems, but taken on its own it's a perfectly competent shooter with some really great ideas and a fantastic reveal. Don't expect a game that redefines any genres, and you'll be fine.

How do you follow up a masterpiece? Almost never with another masterpiece. Invisible War has some real problems, but taken on its own it's a perfectly competent shooter with some really great ideas and a fantastic reveal. Don't expect a game that redefines any genres, and you'll be fine.

]]>
Extrasode: Day of the Tentaclehttps://www.watchoutforfireballs.com/132e
626163d6-589c-476f-b1e9-192bf99da4ddThu, 07 Jul 2016 12:00:00 -0400Duckfeed.tvfullDuckfeed.tvGary Butterfield and Kole Ross read your responses to Day of the Tentacle.14:31yesGary Butterfield and Kole Ross read your responses to Day of the Tentacle.
Gary Butterfield and Kole Ross read your responses to Day of the Tentacle.]]>
Gary Butterfield and Kole Ross read your responses to Day of the Tentacle.]]>
Episode 132: Day of the Tentaclehttps://www.watchoutforfireballs.com/132
tag:soundcloud,2010:tracks/271569991Thu, 30 Jun 2016 11:00:00 -0400Duckfeed.tvfullDuckfeed.tvGary Butterfield and Kole Ross experiment with Day of the Tentacle.
2:31:50yesGary Butterfield and Kole Ross experiment with Day of the Tentacle.
It's a time-hopping, interactive Looney Toon that's also LucasArts at the height of their powers... We revisit the world of Maniac Mansion to solve adventure game puzzles with the added twist of causality logic, visiting Colonial America and the distant, tentacle-run future.
LINKS OF NOTE:
Bernoulli Principle (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bernoulli%27s_principle)
Bob's Oral History of DOTT (www.usgamer.net/articles/day-of-t…-the-oral-history)
Time Gentlemen Please/Ben There, Dan That (www.youtube.com/watch?v=0hZDldRHu9E)
Retro Game Audio Podcast about Maniac Mansion, With Gary (Retrogameaudio – Maniac-mansion)
Gary Butterfield and Kole Ross experiment with Day of the Tentacle.

It's a time-hopping, interactive Looney Toon that's also LucasArts at the height of their powers... We revisit the world of Maniac Mansion to solve adventure game puzzles with the added twist of causality logic, visiting Colonial America and the distant, tentacle-run future.

]]>
Gary Butterfield and Kole Ross experiment with Day of the Tentacle.

It's a time-hopping, interactive Looney Toon that's also LucasArts at the height of their powers... We revisit the world of Maniac Mansion to solve adventure game puzzles with the added twist of causality logic, visiting Colonial America and the distant, tentacle-run future.

]]>
Episode 131: Fallout: New Vegas (DLC)https://www.watchoutforfireballs.com/131
tag:soundcloud,2010:tracks/269462766Thu, 16 Jun 2016 14:00:00 -0400Duckfeed.tvfullDuckfeed.tvGary Butterfield and Kole Ross expound upon the many expansions for Fallout: New Vegas.
3:01:59yesGary Butterfield and Kole Ross expound upon the many expansions for Fallout: New Vegas.
Here, in part three, we visit Dead Money, Honest Hearts, Old World Blues, and Lonesome Road, the four expansions released for Fallout: New Vegas in the year after the main game dropped. They're varied and diverse, but they contribute to a single overarching story in a way that most DLC packs just don't, really.
LINKS OF NOTE:
Pretending to Ride a Dog FB Group (www.facebook.com/pretendingtorideadog/)
Now You See Me (www.youtube.com/watch?v=KzJNYYkkhzc)
Giant McTeague Tooth (malvarez726.edublogs.org/2015/03/03/s…in-mcteague/)
Dr Venture (www.youtube.com/watch?v=tMMwq2AMgoY)
Fallout 2 EPA (fallout.wikia.com/wiki/Environment…rotection_Agency)
We3 (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/We3)
Stripe (www.youtube.com/watch?v=26rtbuybXss)
Gary Butterfield and Kole Ross expound upon the many expansions for Fallout: New Vegas.

Here, in part three, we visit Dead Money, Honest Hearts, Old World Blues, and Lonesome Road, the four expansions released for Fallout: New Vegas in the year after the main game dropped. They're varied and diverse, but they contribute to a single overarching story in a way that most DLC packs just don't, really.

]]>
Gary Butterfield and Kole Ross expound upon the many expansions for Fallout: New Vegas.

Here, in part three, we visit Dead Money, Honest Hearts, Old World Blues, and Lonesome Road, the four expansions released for Fallout: New Vegas in the year after the main game dropped. They're varied and diverse, but they contribute to a single overarching story in a way that most DLC packs just don't, really.

]]>
Episode 130: Fallout: New Vegas (Side Quests)https://www.watchoutforfireballs.com/130
tag:soundcloud,2010:tracks/268331225Thu, 09 Jun 2016 14:00:00 -0400Duckfeed.tvfullDuckfeed.tvGary Butterfield and Kole Ross indulge in the side quests of Fallout: New Vegas.
1:59:43yesGary Butterfield and Kole Ross indulge in the side quests of Fallout: New Vegas.
The Mojave wasteland has a wealth of things to do, and we try to cover them all. This episode covers all of the companion side quests, and then goes around to different factions and settlements to take care of errands for them, too.
LINKS OF NOTE:
Tootsie Pop Native American (www.snopes.com/business/redeem/tootsie.asp)
Game Maker's Toolkit on Beyond The Beef (www.youtube.com/watch?v=yM1yR7WYqgM)
Gary Butterfield and Kole Ross indulge in the side quests of Fallout: New Vegas.

The Mojave wasteland has a wealth of things to do, and we try to cover them all. This episode covers all of the companion side quests, and then goes around to different factions and settlements to take care of errands for them, too.

LINKS OF NOTE:

]]>
Gary Butterfield and Kole Ross indulge in the side quests of Fallout: New Vegas.

The Mojave wasteland has a wealth of things to do, and we try to cover them all. This episode covers all of the companion side quests, and then goes around to different factions and settlements to take care of errands for them, too.

LINKS OF NOTE:

]]>
Episode 129: Fallout: New Vegas (Main Quests)https://www.watchoutforfireballs.com/129
tag:soundcloud,2010:tracks/267174758Thu, 02 Jun 2016 17:00:00 -0400Duckfeed.tvfullDuckfeed.tvGary Butterfield and Kole Ross take a gamble on Fallout: New Vegas.
2:50:38yesGary Butterfield and Kole Ross take a gamble on Fallout: New Vegas.
Gary Butterfield and Kole Ross take a gamble on Fallout: New Vegas.]]>
Gary Butterfield and Kole Ross take a gamble on Fallout: New Vegas.]]>
Extrasode: Oregon Trail / Typing of the Deadhttps://www.watchoutforfireballs.com/128e
tag:soundcloud,2010:tracks/266091365Thu, 26 May 2016 17:00:00 -0400Duckfeed.tvfullDuckfeed.tvGary Butterfield and Kole Ross read your responses to Oregon Trail and Typing of the Dead.
16:30yesGary Butterfield and Kole Ross take a gamble on Fallout: New Vegas.
Talking about Fallout 3 this previous winter really put a fire in us... Though we were underwhelmed by the Capital Wasteland in the moment, all roads led back to pining for the Mojave. So here we are, talking about Fallout: New Vegas, a triumph of video game writing and design, where player choice is emphasized and rewarded.
This first episode of a monthlong series hits on the main questlines of New Vegas, with an emphasis on the Yes Man and NCR lines, although we address all of the ways the story can resolve. Next week, we'll talk about the side quests.
LINKS OF NOTE:
Playable Van Buren (www.moddb.com/games/van-buren/do…an-buren-tech-demo)
JE Sawyer Mod (fallout.wikia.com/wiki/Forum:Josh_Sawyer's_Mod)
Distro (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linux_distribution)
Santa (futurama.wikia.com/wiki/Robot_Santa_Claus)
Wayne The Skeleton King (www.youtube.com/watch?v=DPcYsBB9CTQ)
Fallout Lore (www.youtube.com/watch?v=nvqm_pPD-…Nbt103xp0PkkUCoPU)
David Koechner (www.youtube.com/watch?v=lmEtYlhzPJo)
Macovich, Malkovich (www.youtube.com/watch?v=jbCyTUSQ6fY)
Metacritic Scandal (www.engadget.com/2012/03/15/obsid…us-by-one-point/)
Gary Butterfield and Kole Ross take a gamble on Fallout: New Vegas.

Talking about Fallout 3 this previous winter really put a fire in us... Though we were underwhelmed by the Capital Wasteland in the moment, all roads led back to pining for the Mojave. So here we are, talking about Fallout: New Vegas, a triumph of video game writing and design, where player choice is emphasized and rewarded.

This first episode of a monthlong series hits on the main questlines of New Vegas, with an emphasis on the Yes Man and NCR lines, although we address all of the ways the story can resolve. Next week, we'll talk about the side quests.

]]>
Gary Butterfield and Kole Ross take a gamble on Fallout: New Vegas.

Talking about Fallout 3 this previous winter really put a fire in us... Though we were underwhelmed by the Capital Wasteland in the moment, all roads led back to pining for the Mojave. So here we are, talking about Fallout: New Vegas, a triumph of video game writing and design, where player choice is emphasized and rewarded.

This first episode of a monthlong series hits on the main questlines of New Vegas, with an emphasis on the Yes Man and NCR lines, although we address all of the ways the story can resolve. Next week, we'll talk about the side quests.

]]>
Episode 128: Oregon Trail / Typing of the Deadhttps://www.watchoutforfireballs.com/128
tag:soundcloud,2010:tracks/264920858Thu, 19 May 2016 12:00:00 -0400Duckfeed.tvfullDuckfeed.tvGary Butterfield and Kole Ross take Oregon Trail and Typing of the Dead to school (for show and tell).
1:38:20yesGary Butterfield and Kole Ross take Oregon Trail and Typing of the Dead to school (for show and tell).
Edutainment is, inherently, kind of lame. We can all smell a "message" coming a mile away. But the best examples can make you forget you're learning, and stand up as great games in their own right. So we've taken a ubiquitous classic of edutainment, Oregon Trail, and paired it with Typing of the Dead, a relic of Sega's weirdest days. And it turns out that sometimes, learning can be fun.
LINKS OF NOTE:
Chex Quest (duckfeed.tv/abjectsuffering/53)
Birthday Sex (www.youtube.com/watch?v=vYMxOzxKYYo)
Birthday Checks (www.youtube.com/watch?v=VDHrtX66epM)
Institute of Play Article (www.instituteofplay.org/2014/11/decon…oregon-trail/)
Dumb Dumbs (www.youtube.com/watch?v=kbRZKrvAZ7U)
Gary Butterfield and Kole Ross take Oregon Trail and Typing of the Dead to school (for show and tell).

Edutainment is, inherently, kind of lame. We can all smell a "message" coming a mile away. But the best examples can make you forget you're learning, and stand up as great games in their own right. So we've taken a ubiquitous classic of edutainment, Oregon Trail, and paired it with Typing of the Dead, a relic of Sega's weirdest days. And it turns out that sometimes, learning can be fun.

]]>
Gary Butterfield and Kole Ross take Oregon Trail and Typing of the Dead to school (for show and tell).

Edutainment is, inherently, kind of lame. We can all smell a "message" coming a mile away. But the best examples can make you forget you're learning, and stand up as great games in their own right. So we've taken a ubiquitous classic of edutainment, Oregon Trail, and paired it with Typing of the Dead, a relic of Sega's weirdest days. And it turns out that sometimes, learning can be fun.

]]>
Episode 127: Turtles in Time / D&D: Shadow Over Mystarahttps://www.watchoutforfireballs.com/127
tag:soundcloud,2010:tracks/262648697Thu, 05 May 2016 13:15:00 -0400Duckfeed.tvfullDuckfeed.tvGary Butterfield and Kole Ross rumble through Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles IV: Turtles in Time and Dungeons and Dragons: Shadow Over Mystara.
2:35:45yesGary Butterfield and Kole Ross rumble through Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles IV: Turtles in Time and Dungeons and Dragons: Shadow Over Mystara.
Brawlers have a reputation for being simplistic and exploitative. They're a game design born of economic opportunity, engineered to accumulate quarters with frequency. But divorced from that, there are examples of brawlers with surprising depth and ingenuity. Turtles and Mystara are both great examples of the form, chosen by our community of Patreon backers.
LINKS OF NOTE:
Gelatinous Cube (www.youtube.com/watch?v=O4tmzwrdTmY)
Mystara Megafaq (www.gamefaqs.com/arcade/563201-du…stara/faqs/11489)
Battletoads First Boss (www.youtube.com/watch?v=UHgVR0Ykkcc)
This shirt I got (www.amazon.com/Actually-Thirties…irt/dp/B0179U84FG)
Demon Stone (www.youtube.com/watch?v=8nKkPA4KKGg)
Our meatballs are eggs (www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q1YTuSzZxdA)
Stone Protectors (www.google.com/webhp?sourceid=ch…tone%20protectors)
Flatliners (www.youtube.com/watch?v=oCm_NMU6Phw)
Wounded Knee (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wounded_Knee_Massacre)
DDR (www.lurkmore.com/view/DRR..._DRR..._DRR...)
Coming out of their shells (www.youtube.com/watch?v=A-BFosqCc…Ctck7yagjGFTENECx)
Both Dead Alewives sketches (www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Kgx2b1sIRs)
Come on, Dragon's Crown (vignette2.wikia.nocookie.net/dragons-cr…0216223255)
Gary Butterfield and Kole Ross rumble through Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles IV: Turtles in Time and Dungeons and Dragons: Shadow Over Mystara.

Brawlers have a reputation for being simplistic and exploitative. They're a game design born of economic opportunity, engineered to accumulate quarters with frequency. But divorced from that, there are examples of brawlers with surprising depth and ingenuity. Turtles and Mystara are both great examples of the form, chosen by our community of Patreon backers.

]]>
Gary Butterfield and Kole Ross rumble through Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles IV: Turtles in Time and Dungeons and Dragons: Shadow Over Mystara.

Brawlers have a reputation for being simplistic and exploitative. They're a game design born of economic opportunity, engineered to accumulate quarters with frequency. But divorced from that, there are examples of brawlers with surprising depth and ingenuity. Turtles and Mystara are both great examples of the form, chosen by our community of Patreon backers.

LINKS OF NOTE:

LINKS OF NOTE:

None

]]>
Episode 126: Warcraft 3: Reign of Chaoshttps://www.watchoutforfireballs.com/126
tag:soundcloud,2010:tracks/260212246Thu, 21 Apr 2016 13:00:00 -0400Duckfeed.tvfullDuckfeed.tvGary Butterfield and Kole Ross charge through Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos.
2:57:06yesGary Butterfield and Kole Ross charge through Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos.
Warcraft III is probably one of the most influential games of all time. There's a lot that came before it, but Blizzard's first 3D real time strategy game came at just the right time to lay the foundation for most of today's competitive multiplayer scene. While we're not much for competition, the single player campaigns of Reign of Chaos do a ton of interesting stuff. Join us as we talk about our first real RTS (we're trying to forget Sacrifice).
LINKS OF NOTE:
Elephants without trunks or ears (funsubstance.com/fun/51849/elepha…ears-and-trunks/)
Strong Bad (www.homestarrunner.com/sbemail.html)
Anakin Skywalker is a character some people take seriously. (www.youtube.com/watch?v=YnwkE4trA48)
Muppets all gathered up (www.youtube.com/watch?v=FpRap-zHZHY&amp;nohtml5=False)
Imzadi (www.youtube.com/watch?v=836hXACVsD0&amp;nohtml5=False)
Hidden Frozen Throne Level that's tower defense (www.youtube.com/watch?v=9tkyjymRdws)
Gary Butterfield and Kole Ross charge through Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos.

Warcraft III is probably one of the most influential games of all time. There's a lot that came before it, but Blizzard's first 3D real time strategy game came at just the right time to lay the foundation for most of today's competitive multiplayer scene. While we're not much for competition, the single player campaigns of Reign of Chaos do a ton of interesting stuff. Join us as we talk about our first real RTS (we're trying to forget Sacrifice).

LINKS OF NOTE:

[Elephants without trunks or ears](funsubstance.com/fun/51849/elepha…ears-and-trunks/)

Warcraft III is probably one of the most influential games of all time. There's a lot that came before it, but Blizzard's first 3D real time strategy game came at just the right time to lay the foundation for most of today's competitive multiplayer scene. While we're not much for competition, the single player campaigns of Reign of Chaos do a ton of interesting stuff. Join us as we talk about our first real RTS (we're trying to forget Sacrifice).

LINKS OF NOTE:

[Elephants without trunks or ears](funsubstance.com/fun/51849/elepha…ears-and-trunks/)

]]>
Episode 125: Portal / Portal 2https://www.watchoutforfireballs.com/125
tag:soundcloud,2010:tracks/257809298Thu, 07 Apr 2016 12:00:00 -0400Duckfeed.tvfullDuckfeed.tvGary Butterfield and Kole Ross open up a door to the elemental plane of praise for Portal and Portal 2.
3:13:19yesGary Butterfield and Kole Ross open up a door to the elemental plane of praise for Portal and Portal 2.
Last year, with Super Metroid at episode 100, we decided to try doing a "perfect" game once a year. Portal and Portal 2 are both obvious choices for such high praise. They still feel recent, but almost a decade after Portal hit the scene in The Orange Box we're still feeling the effects of its sheer economy of play, and utter wit in storytelling. And no matter what anyone tells you, Portal 2 is a worthy heir.
LINKS OF NOTE:
Narbacular Drop (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=acs3NLXWphQ&amp;nohtml5=False)
Ellen Mclain (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eZFS6rCQUBs&amp;nohtml5=False)
It's my Life (http://duckfeed.tv/tdb/its-my-life-by-jon-bon-jovi)
Fuck You (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pc0mxOXbWIU&amp;nohtml5=False)
Bill Cosby Bukowski (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j89zSzq_dQY&amp;nohtml5=False)
Pwease No Steppy (http://40.media.tumblr.com/a21acd8cbeb8ad223c8b8ef3e883b569/tumblr_o0ft85RGOB1t2jeblo1_1280.jpg)
Toki Tori 2 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=akxxyb147Fw&amp;nohtml5=False)
Casino Sounds (http://www.thewire.co.uk/in-writing/essays/easy-to-get-to_hard-to-leave)
Great Outdoors (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gc_5tx7xRlg&amp;nohtml5=False)
Fine, you jackels. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dl4r6JK6vgY&amp;nohtml5=False)
Prometheus (http://www.prometheas.org/mythology.html)
National song hidden area (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ghgmi2cm9b4)
Gary Butterfield and Kole Ross open up a door to the elemental plane of praise for Portal and Portal 2.

Last year, with Super Metroid at episode 100, we decided to try doing a "perfect" game once a year. Portal and Portal 2 are both obvious choices for such high praise. They still feel recent, but almost a decade after Portal hit the scene in The Orange Box we're still feeling the effects of its sheer economy of play, and utter wit in storytelling. And no matter what anyone tells you, Portal 2 is a worthy heir.

LINKS OF NOTE:

]]>
Gary Butterfield and Kole Ross open up a door to the elemental plane of praise for Portal and Portal 2.

Last year, with Super Metroid at episode 100, we decided to try doing a "perfect" game once a year. Portal and Portal 2 are both obvious choices for such high praise. They still feel recent, but almost a decade after Portal hit the scene in The Orange Box we're still feeling the effects of its sheer economy of play, and utter wit in storytelling. And no matter what anyone tells you, Portal 2 is a worthy heir.

LINKS OF NOTE:

]]>
Episode 124: Silent Hill 3https://www.watchoutforfireballs.com/124
tag:soundcloud,2010:tracks/254815487Thu, 24 Mar 2016 10:00:00 -0400Duckfeed.tvfullDuckfeed.tvGary Butterfield and Kole Ross ooze affection for Silent Hill 3.
3:27:23yesGary Butterfield and Kole Ross ooze affection for Silent Hill 3.
A teenage girl is in trouble. The world is warping around her, and strange people are saying that she's destined to birth Paradise. That's the setup to Silent Hill 3, one of the scariest and most upsetting games in existence. The story has problems, but for atmosphere and dread it has almost no rival.
If you haven't played the original Silent Hill, don't worry: We go out of our way to provide all of the context you need to understand what's going on here. Enjoy!
LINKS OF NOTE:
Silent Hill: Revelation 3D (www.youtube.com/watch?v=9b4iOhWswYM)
Circumcision nonsense (storify.com/jasperrolls/the-sil…on-meltdown-of-2015)
Subway scene. Couldn't find unaltered version (vimeo.com/117515059)
Ghost Stations (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ghost_station)
The gates are open. This is the last time this will appear in show notes. Drink it up. (www.youtube.com/watch?v=iEBkKYJdFq0)
Session 9 (www.youtube.com/watch?v=LsxkRNvEbhM)
Suicide House... (comedybangbang.wikia.com/wiki/Crappy_Howl-o-ween!)
Gary Butterfield and Kole Ross ooze affection for Silent Hill 3.

A teenage girl is in trouble. The world is warping around her, and strange people are saying that she's destined to birth Paradise. That's the setup to Silent Hill 3, one of the scariest and most upsetting games in existence. The story has problems, but for atmosphere and dread it has almost no rival.

If you haven't played the original Silent Hill, don't worry: We go out of our way to provide all of the context you need to understand what's going on here. Enjoy!

A teenage girl is in trouble. The world is warping around her, and strange people are saying that she's destined to birth Paradise. That's the setup to Silent Hill 3, one of the scariest and most upsetting games in existence. The story has problems, but for atmosphere and dread it has almost no rival.

If you haven't played the original Silent Hill, don't worry: We go out of our way to provide all of the context you need to understand what's going on here. Enjoy!

LINKS OF NOTE:

LINKS OF NOTE:

]]>
Episode 123: Interactive Fictionhttps://www.watchoutforfireballs.com/123
tag:soundcloud,2010:tracks/251191926Thu, 10 Mar 2016 11:00:00 -0500Duckfeed.tvfullDuckfeed.tvgary butterfield and kole ross, interactive fiction
2:22:15yesgary butterfield and kole ross, interactive fiction_
Two men speak into microphones about interactive fiction, also known as text adventures. They cover the basics of the medium, a brief history and discuss four games in-depth: "Planetfall", "A Mind Forever Voyaging", "Slouching Towards Bedlam", and "The King of Shreds and Patches."
LINKS OF NOTE:
The Special Special Special (www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sb5E1vx961o)
Get Lamp (www.youtube.com/watch?v=o15itQ_EhRo)
11/22/63 (112263book.com/)
The Descent (www.youtube.com/watch?v=WhZj0Q9rq9E)
Parsley (www.memento-mori.com/parsely/)
Cruelty Scale (www.ifwiki.org/index.php/Cruelty_scale)
Yeats Second Coming (www.potw.org/archive/potw351.html)
Zork (www.youtube.com/watch?v=ToEllOW2r1Y)
Gateway (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gateway_(video_game))
80 Days (www.inklestudios.com/80days/)
Planetfall (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Planetfall)
A Mind Forever Voyaging (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Mind_Forever_Voyaging)
Slouching Towards Bedlam (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slouching_Towards_Bedlam)
King of Shreds of Patches (maher.filfre.net/King/)
Device 6 (simogo.com/work/device-6/)

gary butterfield and kole ross, interactive fiction_

Two men speak into microphones about interactive fiction, also known as text adventures. They cover the basics of the medium, a brief history and discuss four games in-depth: "Planetfall", "A Mind Forever Voyaging", "Slouching Towards Bedlam", and "The King of Shreds and Patches."

Two men speak into microphones about interactive fiction, also known as text adventures. They cover the basics of the medium, a brief history and discuss four games in-depth: "Planetfall", "A Mind Forever Voyaging", "Slouching Towards Bedlam", and "The King of Shreds and Patches."

LINKS OF NOTE:

]]>
Episode 122: Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaverhttps://www.watchoutforfireballs.com/122
tag:soundcloud,2010:tracks/248874286Thu, 25 Feb 2016 13:00:00 -0500Duckfeed.tvfullDuckfeed.tvGary Butterfield and Kole Ross excoriate Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver.
2:47:06yesGary Butterfield and Kole Ross excoriate Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver.
This episode isn't for the faint of heart... What started out as a well-intentioned desire to talk about a beloved action-adventure game turned into a hit piece against an entire era and genre of games. But we cite our sources, and go to great pains to remind you: Just because we don't like this game doesn't mean we don't like you.
LINKS OF NOTE:
Chamber (marvel.wikia.com/wiki/Jonothon_St…smore_(Earth-616))
Boyhood (www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y0oX0xiwOv8)
Project Milo (www.youtube.com/watch?v=CPIbGnBQcJY)
That Neogaf post (www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=488564)
Very Bad Things (www.youtube.com/watch?v=HsAm2UvcKI4)
Mazikeen (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mazikeen_(comics))
Red Dawn (www.youtube.com/watch?v=1_I4WgBfETc)
Shadows of the Empire Hoth (www.youtube.com/watch?v=CzMH9G3WSEs)
The Timekeeper (www.youtube.com/watch?v=9muhJtqQIy4)
Tom Halverford's Company (www.youtube.com/watch?v=sYeup5zrZbs)
Quantum Conundrum (www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qg97ZEkqhzE)
Gary Butterfield and Kole Ross excoriate Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver.

This episode isn't for the faint of heart... What started out as a well-intentioned desire to talk about a beloved action-adventure game turned into a hit piece against an entire era and genre of games. But we cite our sources, and go to great pains to remind you: Just because we don't like this game doesn't mean we don't like you.

This episode isn't for the faint of heart... What started out as a well-intentioned desire to talk about a beloved action-adventure game turned into a hit piece against an entire era and genre of games. But we cite our sources, and go to great pains to remind you: Just because we don't like this game doesn't mean we don't like you.

LINKS OF NOTE:

]]>
Episode 121: Sanitariumhttps://www.watchoutforfireballs.com/121
tag:soundcloud,2010:tracks/246549651Thu, 11 Feb 2016 11:00:00 -0500Duckfeed.tvfullDuckfeed.tvGary Butterfield and Kole Ross commit to talking about Sanitarium.
2:24:12yesGary Butterfield and Kole Ross commit to talking about Sanitarium.
You wake up with no face, no memories, and no name. You're surrounded by people banging their heads against walls, talking about mechanical bugs and Aztec prophecies. Diagnosis? Crazy. This horror-themed adventure game is an odd duck because it's played from a bird's-eye perspective... but does it ever quite get off the ground?
LINKS OF NOTE:
Uninvited Ghost (https://youtu.be/EahhprgkB7g?t=444)
0451 (http://www.hitselfdestruct.com/2008/07/0451.html)
Dogma Golgothan (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8HIXxgyjCt0)
Casmir Polaski Day (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xxMYqsvgX8c)
Ravenloft Carnival (http://www.fraternityofshadows.com/DrawingRoom/Ravenloft_Products/1st_2nd_Edition/Carnival.html)
Temple of Osiris (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nm9FzqLqcj8)
Sanitarium Postmortem (http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/131706/postmortem_dreamforges_sanitarium.php)
Owl Creek Bridge (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/An_Occurrence_at_Owl_Creek_Bridge)
Planetfall (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Planetfall)
Mind Forever Voyaging (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Mind_Forever_Voyaging)
Slouching Toward Bedlam (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slouching_Towards_Bedlam)
King of Shreds and Patches (http://maher.filfre.net/King/)
Frotz (http://frotz.sourceforge.net/)
Gary Butterfield and Kole Ross commit to talking about Sanitarium.

You wake up with no face, no memories, and no name. You're surrounded by people banging their heads against walls, talking about mechanical bugs and Aztec prophecies. Diagnosis? Crazy. This horror-themed adventure game is an odd duck because it's played from a bird's-eye perspective... but does it ever quite get off the ground?

You wake up with no face, no memories, and no name. You're surrounded by people banging their heads against walls, talking about mechanical bugs and Aztec prophecies. Diagnosis? Crazy. This horror-themed adventure game is an odd duck because it's played from a bird's-eye perspective... but does it ever quite get off the ground?

It's the first fully 3D Mega Man game, but it doesn't take a lot of cues from the series that preceded it. You spend most of your time dungeon crawling, but the interesting stuff happens when you're just kickin' it in the city. It rests firmly in the "awkward teenage years" of the PSX. It's Mega Man Legends.

It's the first fully 3D Mega Man game, but it doesn't take a lot of cues from the series that preceded it. You spend most of your time dungeon crawling, but the interesting stuff happens when you're just kickin' it in the city. It rests firmly in the "awkward teenage years" of the PSX. It's Mega Man Legends.

It's a first for the show: We're covering all five pieces of DLC released for Fallout 3. From the highest highs (Point Lookout) to the lowest lows (Mothership Zeta, ironically enough), we've got something to say about them all.

It's a first for the show: We're covering all five pieces of DLC released for Fallout 3. From the highest highs (Point Lookout) to the lowest lows (Mothership Zeta, ironically enough), we've got something to say about them all.

]]>
Episode 117: Fallout 3 (Main Quest)https://www.watchoutforfireballs.com/117
tag:soundcloud,2010:tracks/239872667Thu, 31 Dec 2015 14:00:00 -0500Duckfeed.tvfullDuckfeed.tvGary Butterfield and Kole Ross set Fallout 3 on fire. This is it: Our first modern Bethesda game. Morrowind was kind of on the edge, but it's hard to talk about Fallout 3 without also talking about a whole bunch of other games that are like it. You wake u2:55:59yesGary Butterfield and Kole Ross set Fallout 3 on fire.
This is it: Our first modern Bethesda game. Morrowind was kind of on the edge, but it's hard to talk about Fallout 3 without also talking about a whole bunch of other games that are like it. You wake up one morning and your dad has fled the vault... this is how the story begins, as you emerge into a fully 3D world to gun down raiders and have awkward conversations. How does Fallout 3 stack up, 7 years later?
This episode covers the generalities of the game, and the main quest line. The next episode will cover the side quests, while part 3 will cover all of the downloadable content for the game.
LINKS OF NOTE:
David and Goliath and Foreskins (www.errancy.com/how-many-philisti…d-david-pay-saul/)
Yaddle. Star Wars, ugh (starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Yaddle)
Pet Semetary (villains.wikia.com/wiki/Church_(Stephen_King))
Van Buren (www.youtube.com/watch?v=GSG_lx2FG04)
Teenage Dirtbags Episode in question (duckfeed.tv/tdb/must-be-santa-a…lin-and-the-turtles)
Liam Neesons (www.youtube.com/watch?v=-2EikOsQmtk)
The Real Life Colin Moriarity (www.gamefaqs.com/boards/995452-ma…ffect-3/62225389)
Speedrun (www.youtube.com/watch?v=itBUvZBhVs8)
It's a good life (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/It%27s_a_Go…he_Twilight_Zone))
Monster Factory (www.youtube.com/watch?v=LlKnEgPEG…l_8qxJ5eaaPHRX_ij)
Gary Butterfield and Kole Ross set Fallout 3 on fire.

This is it: Our first modern Bethesda game. Morrowind was kind of on the edge, but it's hard to talk about Fallout 3 without also talking about a whole bunch of other games that are like it. You wake up one morning and your dad has fled the vault... this is how the story begins, as you emerge into a fully 3D world to gun down raiders and have awkward conversations. How does Fallout 3 stack up, 7 years later?

This episode covers the generalities of the game, and the main quest line. The next episode will cover the side quests, while part 3 will cover all of the downloadable content for the game.

This is it: Our first modern Bethesda game. Morrowind was kind of on the edge, but it's hard to talk about Fallout 3 without also talking about a whole bunch of other games that are like it. You wake up one morning and your dad has fled the vault... this is how the story begins, as you emerge into a fully 3D world to gun down raiders and have awkward conversations. How does Fallout 3 stack up, 7 years later?

This episode covers the generalities of the game, and the main quest line. The next episode will cover the side quests, while part 3 will cover all of the downloadable content for the game.

This is the first Dragon Quest game we've covered, and of course it had to be a weird one. Rocket Slime trades in the turn-based combat for top-down action and surprisingly deep tank battles. A unique movement and attack mechanic, along with the oodles of puns, means Rocket Slime is a must-play if you have a DS.

This is the first Dragon Quest game we've covered, and of course it had to be a weird one. Rocket Slime trades in the turn-based combat for top-down action and surprisingly deep tank battles. A unique movement and attack mechanic, along with the oodles of puns, means Rocket Slime is a must-play if you have a DS.

LINKS OF NOTE:

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Episode 115: Thief: Deadly Shadowshttps://www.watchoutforfireballs.com/115
tag:soundcloud,2010:tracks/235939020Thu, 03 Dec 2015 14:45:00 -0500Duckfeed.tvfullDuckfeed.tvGary Butterfield and Kole Ross are the hands that rock Thief: Deadly Shadows's cradle.
2:29:08yesGary Butterfield and Kole Ross are the hands that rock Thief: Deadly Shadows's cradle.
Thief: Deadly Shadows won our Fall 2015 Stealth Game poll, and we're glad it did. Not just because it gave us an excuse to talk about the Shalebridge Cradle for 30 minutes... but because it's a beloved series, and a kind of stealth game we haven't covered before. Garret's brand of first-person stealth led to games like Dishonored, which speaks to this series' credit... Even if Deadly Shadows overstays its welcome by about 5 hours.
LINKS OF NOTE:
The Prophecy (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C7PSZ7NDEgU)
Styx: Master of Shadows (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1hzz2AdLZgg)
So boring! (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Nq-GyLrtHc)
Men Going Their Own Way (http://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Men_Going_Their_Own_Way)
Butcher Bay (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dY0-v2pRQrU)
Mirror's Edge (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2N1TJP1cxmo)
Breakdown (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0NNgT90eTcU)
That crime against human nature Gary was trying to remember (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unit_731)
Gary Butterfield and Kole Ross are the hands that rock Thief: Deadly Shadows's cradle.

Thief: Deadly Shadows won our Fall 2015 Stealth Game poll, and we're glad it did. Not just because it gave us an excuse to talk about the Shalebridge Cradle for 30 minutes... but because it's a beloved series, and a kind of stealth game we haven't covered before. Garret's brand of first-person stealth led to games like Dishonored, which speaks to this series' credit... Even if Deadly Shadows overstays its welcome by about 5 hours.

Thief: Deadly Shadows won our Fall 2015 Stealth Game poll, and we're glad it did. Not just because it gave us an excuse to talk about the Shalebridge Cradle for 30 minutes... but because it's a beloved series, and a kind of stealth game we haven't covered before. Garret's brand of first-person stealth led to games like Dishonored, which speaks to this series' credit... Even if Deadly Shadows overstays its welcome by about 5 hours.

LINKS OF NOTE:

]]>
Extrasode: Castlevaniahttps://www.watchoutforfireballs.com/114e
tag:soundcloud,2010:tracks/234748133Wed, 25 Nov 2015 20:00:00 -0500Duckfeed.tvfullDuckfeed.tvGary Butterfield and Kole Ross talk about the 2015 Portland Retro Games Expo 2015 and read your responses to Castlevania.
49:58yesGary Butterfield and Kole Ross talk about the 2015 Portland Retro Games Expo 2015 and read your responses to Castlevania.
Gary Butterfield and Kole Ross talk about the 2015 Portland Retro Games Expo 2015 and read your responses to Castlevania.]]>
Gary Butterfield and Kole Ross talk about the 2015 Portland Retro Games Expo 2015 and read your responses to Castlevania.]]>
Episode 114: Castlevania (Live)https://www.watchoutforfireballs.com/114
tag:soundcloud,2010:tracks/233847499Thu, 19 Nov 2015 18:00:00 -0500Duckfeed.tvfullDuckfeed.tvGary Butterfield and Kole Ross get cracking on Castlevania, live at PRGE!
44:52yesGary Butterfield and Kole Ross get cracking on Castlevania, live at PRGE!
No show notes, except to thank Brayton Cameron, Nick Glauber, and the staff of the Portland Retro Games Expo. Also, thanks so much to everyone who came out to the show!
Gary Butterfield and Kole Ross get cracking on Castlevania, live at PRGE!

No show notes, except to thank Brayton Cameron, Nick Glauber, and the staff of the Portland Retro Games Expo. Also, thanks so much to everyone who came out to the show!

]]>
Gary Butterfield and Kole Ross get cracking on Castlevania, live at PRGE!

No show notes, except to thank Brayton Cameron, Nick Glauber, and the staff of the Portland Retro Games Expo. Also, thanks so much to everyone who came out to the show!

LINKS OF NOTE:

]]>
Episode 113: System Shock 2https://www.watchoutforfireballs.com/113
tag:soundcloud,2010:tracks/231735198Thu, 05 Nov 2015 16:00:00 -0500Duckfeed.tvfullDuckfeed.tvGary Butterfield and Kole Ross lay into System Shock 2.
2:51:48yesGary Butterfield and Kole Ross lay into System Shock 2.
System Shock 2 will pretty much always show up on any "Greatest PC Games of All Time" lists. It inspired Bioshock, a game that we very much like. But, does it hold up? Listen as we talk about the many great ideas that System Shock 2 has, and the many ways it burns through whatever good will it earns.
LINKS OF NOTE:
Nanoblocks (www.ohioart.com/brands/nanoblock)
Street Sharks (www.youtube.com/watch?v=NqGQyMF5a_0)
Gear 2 inside beast (www.youtube.com/watch?v=nd-4JZZONf4)
Danger (marvel.com/universe/Danger)
Videodrome (www.youtube.com/watch?v=M6AXQeCE9Rw)
Shodan's Voice Actress (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terri_Brosius)
System Shock 1 (www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vnh0l_Ecpx4)
Traveller (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Traveller_(role-playing_game))
OSI (www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pz59tFR2KMs)
Dead Space (www.youtube.com/watch?v=hMlUsGSALyY)
Ave Maria (www.youtube.com/watch?v=2bosouX_d8Y)
Toys. They're just toys. It's just marketing! (www.youtube.com/watch?v=A_K10fX9DSY)
Gary Butterfield and Kole Ross lay into System Shock 2.

System Shock 2 will pretty much always show up on any "Greatest PC Games of All Time" lists. It inspired Bioshock, a game that we very much like. But, does it hold up? Listen as we talk about the many great ideas that System Shock 2 has, and the many ways it burns through whatever good will it earns.

System Shock 2 will pretty much always show up on any "Greatest PC Games of All Time" lists. It inspired Bioshock, a game that we very much like. But, does it hold up? Listen as we talk about the many great ideas that System Shock 2 has, and the many ways it burns through whatever good will it earns.

LINKS OF NOTE:

]]>
Episode 112: Blaster Masterhttps://www.watchoutforfireballs.com/112
tag:soundcloud,2010:tracks/229639471Thu, 22 Oct 2015 18:00:00 -0400Duckfeed.tvfullDuckfeed.tvGary Butterfield and Kole Ross blow through Blaster Master.
1:28:39yesGary Butterfield and Kole Ross blow through Blaster Master.
We've covered several NES platformers on the show, but mostly from bigger publishers. Capcom and Konami are mainstays, and of course we've talked a lot about Nintendo itself, but SunSoft has racked up more Abject Suffering entries than WOFF! entries. Blaster Master is a varied and eclectic game with some neat ideas and inconsistent execution. Those neat ideas count for a lot, though, and ambition gets points.
LINKS OF NOTE:
Fester's Quest (www.youtube.com/watch?v=SrElD5f3GCE)
This Gremlins 2 game is pretty good (www.youtube.com/watch?v=R5D2Il569OE)
Bluebeard (www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hj0VT1IYNoE)
Blast Corps (www.youtube.com/watch?v=CzIu85jBtE4)
Time Lord (www.youtube.com/watch?v=ajmOLTYmZNM)
Ichthyosaur (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ichthyosaur)
One of a couple BM Speedruns (www.youtube.com/watch?v=SVKvNkrbiUo)
Gary Butterfield and Kole Ross blow through Blaster Master.

We've covered several NES platformers on the show, but mostly from bigger publishers. Capcom and Konami are mainstays, and of course we've talked a lot about Nintendo itself, but SunSoft has racked up more Abject Suffering entries than WOFF! entries. Blaster Master is a varied and eclectic game with some neat ideas and inconsistent execution. Those neat ideas count for a lot, though, and ambition gets points.

We've covered several NES platformers on the show, but mostly from bigger publishers. Capcom and Konami are mainstays, and of course we've talked a lot about Nintendo itself, but SunSoft has racked up more Abject Suffering entries than WOFF! entries. Blaster Master is a varied and eclectic game with some neat ideas and inconsistent execution. Those neat ideas count for a lot, though, and ambition gets points.

]]>
Extrasode: King of Dragon Passhttps://www.watchoutforfireballs.com/111e
tag:soundcloud,2010:tracks/228597474Thu, 15 Oct 2015 20:00:00 -0400Duckfeed.tvfullDuckfeed.tvGary Butterfield and Kole Ross read your responses to King of Dragon Pass.
21:19yesGary Butterfield and Kole Ross read your responses to King of Dragon Pass.
Gary Butterfield and Kole Ross read your responses to King of Dragon Pass.]]>
Gary Butterfield and Kole Ross read your responses to King of Dragon Pass.]]>
Episode 111: King of Dragon Passhttps://www.watchoutforfireballs.com/111
tag:soundcloud,2010:tracks/227569747Thu, 08 Oct 2015 20:00:00 -0400Duckfeed.tvfullDuckfeed.tvGary Butterfield and Kole Ross gird their loins to battle King of Dragon Pass.
1:59:38yesGary Butterfield and Kole Ross gird their loins to battle King of Dragon Pass.
File this one under "Gem that should have gotten more attention." It's a strategy-game-meets-CYOA, but it's so much more. It's a tale of barbarians, but not in the way you'd expect. It's a fusion of narrative and systems on a level you don't really see. Do yourself a favor, listen to this episode as a beginner's guide, and buy King of Dragon Pass for your device of choice.
LINKS OF NOTE:
White Bear and Red Moon (boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/10884/…te-bear-red-moon)
Thor's Angels (www.dancarlin.com/product/hardcore…41-thors-angels/)
Runequest (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RuneQuest)
Business Time (www.youtube.com/watch?v=AqZcYPEszN8)
[Kubrick Stare](www.slate.com/blogs/browbeat/201…8/kubrickstaresu
Frogloks (eq2.wikia.com/wiki/Category:Frog…8Character_Race%29)
McTeague (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McTeague)
Gary Butterfield and Kole Ross gird their loins to battle King of Dragon Pass.

File this one under "Gem that should have gotten more attention." It's a strategy-game-meets-CYOA, but it's so much more. It's a tale of barbarians, but not in the way you'd expect. It's a fusion of narrative and systems on a level you don't really see. Do yourself a favor, listen to this episode as a beginner's guide, and buy King of Dragon Pass for your device of choice.

]]>
Gary Butterfield and Kole Ross gird their loins to battle King of Dragon Pass.

File this one under "Gem that should have gotten more attention." It's a strategy-game-meets-CYOA, but it's so much more. It's a tale of barbarians, but not in the way you'd expect. It's a fusion of narrative and systems on a level you don't really see. Do yourself a favor, listen to this episode as a beginner's guide, and buy King of Dragon Pass for your device of choice.

LINKS OF NOTE:

]]>
Episode 110: Doom II: Hell on Earthhttps://www.watchoutforfireballs.com/110
tag:soundcloud,2010:tracks/225448150Thu, 24 Sep 2015 19:00:00 -0400Duckfeed.tvfullDuckfeed.tvGary Butterfield and Kole Ross mow through Doom II: Hell on Earth.
2:06:08yesGary Butterfield and Kole Ross mow through Doom II: Hell on Earth.
It's time to talk smart about a game that (seems) dumb. Where did first-person shooters get their start? Well, not here. But for most of the 90s, FPSs were called "Doom Clones". Doom II saw id advancing their 3D trickery, and expanding on the success of their previous works. And it's mostly succcessful.
LINKS OF NOTE:
WOFF WAD (www.mediafire.com/download/uxxnmic…k5vzp50/woff.wad)
Going Down (www.doomworld.com/vb/wads-mods/659…ease-on-idgames/)
1024 (doom.wikia.com/wiki/Congestion_1024)
Pac Land (www.youtube.com/watch?v=2sRiFoJMNTU)
Masters of Doom (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Masters_of_Doom)
In The Kingdom (www.youtube.com/watch?v=VYGTb3mJJ_w)
Painkiller (www.youtube.com/watch?v=BAsk2Q5KeDw)
Reznor on Quake (www.youtube.com/watch?v=qVOHTGYoM6E)
Good Times (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GT_Interactive_Software)
Doom movie (www.youtube.com/watch?v=-dMA8NmdyW4)
Doom controversy (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doom_(1993_…e)#Controversies)
Tapwave Zodiac (www.youtube.com/watch?v=2C69RslF8EA)
Doom RPG (www.youtube.com/watch?v=S2hxjxlcOqk)
Gary Butterfield and Kole Ross mow through Doom II: Hell on Earth.

It's time to talk smart about a game that (seems) dumb. Where did first-person shooters get their start? Well, not here. But for most of the 90s, FPSs were called "Doom Clones". Doom II saw id advancing their 3D trickery, and expanding on the success of their previous works. And it's mostly succcessful.

It's time to talk smart about a game that (seems) dumb. Where did first-person shooters get their start? Well, not here. But for most of the 90s, FPSs were called "Doom Clones". Doom II saw id advancing their 3D trickery, and expanding on the success of their previous works. And it's mostly succcessful.

]]>
Episode 108: Paper Mario (Part 1)https://www.watchoutforfireballs.com/108
tag:soundcloud,2010:tracks/222199658Thu, 03 Sep 2015 13:00:00 -0400Duckfeed.tvfullDuckfeed.tvGary Butterfield and Kole Ross tear into Paper Mario.
1:31:15yesGary Butterfield and Kole Ross tear into Paper Mario.
Simplicity and charm are two things you rarely find in JRPGs, but Paper Mario has both. It takes everything you know about the Mario universe, and runs it through a filter of pure joy. Join us for our "it's technically still Summer" JRPG, as we talk about the first three chapters of Paper Mario.
LINKS OF NOTE:
Camera Obscura (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Camera_obscura)
The Best part of Mystic Quest (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=32ZUO60kxlg)
Probably the best part of Wild Arms, well, maybe not (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VVOFibwVMw0)
Super Paper Mario (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5HKyVh52mIk)
Super Princess Peach (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Bhb6wXYSOY)
Flying Pig (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y6sdeZy-ub8)
Morrowind Scar (http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Morrowind:Ald'ruhn)
Jacoby (http://twinpeaks.wikia.com/wiki/Lawrence_Jacoby)
Black Lodge Burlesque (http://www.blacklodgeburlesque.com/)
Gary Butterfield and Kole Ross tear into Paper Mario.

Simplicity and charm are two things you rarely find in JRPGs, but Paper Mario has both. It takes everything you know about the Mario universe, and runs it through a filter of pure joy. Join us for our "it's technically still Summer" JRPG, as we talk about the first three chapters of Paper Mario.

Simplicity and charm are two things you rarely find in JRPGs, but Paper Mario has both. It takes everything you know about the Mario universe, and runs it through a filter of pure joy. Join us for our "it's technically still Summer" JRPG, as we talk about the first three chapters of Paper Mario.

]]>
Episode 107: Zone of the Endershttps://www.watchoutforfireballs.com/107
tag:soundcloud,2010:tracks/220152174Thu, 20 Aug 2015 17:00:00 -0400Duckfeed.tvfullDuckfeed.tvGary Butterfield and Kole Ross fly through Zone of the Enders.
2:08:50yesGary Butterfield and Kole Ross fly through Zone of the Enders.
It's not bad for a game to be simple, or for a game to be slight. It's bad for a game to feel incomplete. That's what we're up against with Zone of the Enders. We went in expecting satisfying, flashy combat, but what we found was a thin veneer of style covering mostly air. This is a game that's most well known for its demo, and that's a strange, historical anomaly.
LINKS OF NOTE:
Mad TV (www.yourepeat.com/watch/?v=bQ1N3q4Vgkg)
Peace Walker (www.youtube.com/watch?v=-h5Uu1XOEh4)
Twin Snakes (www.youtube.com/watch?v=ecmLG8j8ISw)
Ground Zeroes (www.youtube.com/watch?v=ltH1eWxZutE)
Amazon sounds awful (www.nytimes.com/2015/08/16/techno…rkplace.html?_r=1)
Exo Squad (www.youtube.com/watch?v=rR7ktkOEeFw)
Neo Genesis Evangelion (www.youtube.com/watch?v=zbksWvNv-fU)
Eagleheart (www.youtube.com/watch?v=pDL9nPSukAk)
Journey to Jaburo (www.youtube.com/watch?v=2YJfIRmcg1Y)
Firefly scene (www.youtube.com/watch?v=NPRlHwwVIug)
Gary Butterfield and Kole Ross fly through Zone of the Enders.

It's not bad for a game to be simple, or for a game to be slight. It's bad for a game to feel incomplete. That's what we're up against with Zone of the Enders. We went in expecting satisfying, flashy combat, but what we found was a thin veneer of style covering mostly air. This is a game that's most well known for its demo, and that's a strange, historical anomaly.

It's not bad for a game to be simple, or for a game to be slight. It's bad for a game to feel incomplete. That's what we're up against with Zone of the Enders. We went in expecting satisfying, flashy combat, but what we found was a thin veneer of style covering mostly air. This is a game that's most well known for its demo, and that's a strange, historical anomaly.

]]>
Episode 106: Nine Hours, Nine Persons, Nine Doorshttps://www.watchoutforfireballs.com/106
tag:soundcloud,2010:tracks/218091433Thu, 06 Aug 2015 15:00:00 -0400Duckfeed.tvfullDuckfeed.tvGary Butterfield and Kole Ross branch out into Nine Hours, Nine Persons, Nine Doors.
2:54:22yesGary Butterfield and Kole Ross branch out into Nine Hours, Nine Persons, Nine Doors.
999 is the winner of our Summer Reading poll. Considered by most to be one of the best entries in the Visual Novel(ish) genre, we take a look and see if it holds up to scrutiny. What we find is that 999 is a divisive game, leading to a classic WOFF barnburner.
LINKS OF NOTE:
Cat's Cradle (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cat%27s_Cradle)
Ignoramoose (home.comcast.net/~gibell/pegsolitaire/CBTips.html)
Ship of Theseus (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ship_of_Theseus)
VLR Trailer (www.youtube.com/watch?v=FYfAk1A2bQo)
Deadlocked (www.imdb.com/title/tt0112822/pl…mary?ref_=tt_ov_pl)
High Fidelity (www.youtube.com/watch?v=yBUOhFs7t2s)
The Soggies (www.youtube.com/watch?v=BTYZfdDVJu8)
The Running Man (www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ceegnWSENQ)
100th Monkey (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hundredth_monkey_effect)
Face Blindness (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prosopagnosia)
Ever17 (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ever_17:_The_Out_of_Infinity)
Gary Butterfield and Kole Ross branch out into Nine Hours, Nine Persons, Nine Doors.

999 is the winner of our Summer Reading poll. Considered by most to be one of the best entries in the Visual Novel(ish) genre, we take a look and see if it holds up to scrutiny. What we find is that 999 is a divisive game, leading to a classic WOFF barnburner.

999 is the winner of our Summer Reading poll. Considered by most to be one of the best entries in the Visual Novel(ish) genre, we take a look and see if it holds up to scrutiny. What we find is that 999 is a divisive game, leading to a classic WOFF barnburner.

]]>
Episode 105: Spider-Man 2https://www.watchoutforfireballs.com/105
tag:soundcloud,2010:tracks/216055531Thu, 23 Jul 2015 17:00:00 -0400Duckfeed.tvfullDuckfeed.tvGary Butterfield and Kole Ross spin a yarn about Spider-Man 2.
1:52:10yesGary Butterfield and Kole Ross spin a yarn about Spider-Man 2.
What happens when you have one great mechanic, one okay mechanic, and a bunch of other stuff that surrounds them? You get Spider-Man 2, the first superhero game that did a great job of making you feel like a superhero. The swinging is damn near perfect, but does everything else stand up?
LINKS OF NOTE:
Brown Widow (www.youtube.com/watch?v=BrP1_5XuKLI)
Billy Dee Two Face (comicbook.com/blog/2013/11/02/bi…or-batman-forever/)
Donald Glover as Spider Man (www.forbes.com/sites/davidthier/…piderman-we-need/)
American Gladiator Assault (www.youtube.com/watch?v=1QjXQnt_7kA)
Blank Check (www.youtube.com/watch?v=mf-7OvD6oFQ)
Man-Wolf (www.youtube.com/watch?v=f6Wy5GxnDSw)
Gary Butterfield and Kole Ross spin a yarn about Spider-Man 2.

What happens when you have one great mechanic, one okay mechanic, and a bunch of other stuff that surrounds them? You get Spider-Man 2, the first superhero game that did a great job of making you feel like a superhero. The swinging is damn near perfect, but does everything else stand up?

What happens when you have one great mechanic, one okay mechanic, and a bunch of other stuff that surrounds them? You get Spider-Man 2, the first superhero game that did a great job of making you feel like a superhero. The swinging is damn near perfect, but does everything else stand up?

LINKS OF NOTE:

]]>
Episode 104: L.A. Noirehttps://www.watchoutforfireballs.com/104
tag:soundcloud,2010:tracks/213960766Thu, 09 Jul 2015 09:00:00 -0400Duckfeed.tvfullDuckfeed.tvGary Butterfield and Kole Ross get to the bottom of L.A Noire.
3:12:30yesGary Butterfield and Kole Ross get to the bottom of L.A Noire.
It's 1947. The war is over, and changed men are returning to a changed nation. Cole Phelps, a Marine-turned-cop, must face down his own demons while tackling corruption in the system. This is a unique game, and while not everything holds up, the investigation, interrogation, and atmosphere make L.A. Noire a game to remember.
LINKS OF NOTE:
Madvertising Men Extras (i.imgur.com/DaC2ecM.jpg)
Prometheus Unbound (andromeda.rutgers.edu/~jlynch/Texts/…rometheus.html)
Floyd Rose (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Floyd_Rose)
Custer Syndrome (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victory_disease)
I don't know how this is going to help, Cole (img.gawkerassets.com/img/199zcorjof…f/original.gif)
Big Lebowski (www.youtube.com/watch?v=vNLWbT3W0EQ)
Wayne's World 2 (www.youtube.com/watch?v=yluZgzkA8MM)
The Naked City (www.youtube.com/watch?v=p3WHT4HpsCo)
Mediocre! (www.youtube.com/watch?v=BX-FMvt83fA)
Gary Butterfield and Kole Ross get to the bottom of L.A Noire.

It's 1947. The war is over, and changed men are returning to a changed nation. Cole Phelps, a Marine-turned-cop, must face down his own demons while tackling corruption in the system. This is a unique game, and while not everything holds up, the investigation, interrogation, and atmosphere make L.A. Noire a game to remember.

It's 1947. The war is over, and changed men are returning to a changed nation. Cole Phelps, a Marine-turned-cop, must face down his own demons while tackling corruption in the system. This is a unique game, and while not everything holds up, the investigation, interrogation, and atmosphere make L.A. Noire a game to remember.

The Summer of SNES continues with Demon's Crest, a neglected entry in a neglected series. It takes non-standard platforming mechanics, and spreads them across a non-linear story rich with bosses and evocative gothic imagery. Be sure to grab this one on Virtual Console.

The Summer of SNES continues with Demon's Crest, a neglected entry in a neglected series. It takes non-standard platforming mechanics, and spreads them across a non-linear story rich with bosses and evocative gothic imagery. Be sure to grab this one on Virtual Console.

]]>
Episode 102: Harvest Moon / SimCityhttps://www.watchoutforfireballs.com/102
tag:soundcloud,2010:tracks/209874904Thu, 11 Jun 2015 12:00:00 -0400Duckfeed.tvfullDuckfeed.tvGary Butterfield and Kole Ross manage to talk about Harvest Moon and SimCity (the SNES versions of both).
1:58:53yesGary Butterfield and Kole Ross manage to talk about Harvest Moon and SimCity (the SNES versions of both).
This Split EP is dedicated to two SNES games that take it a little bit slow. Both Harvest Moon and SimCity ask the player to make decisions about how to use limited resources like time and money in order to get some kind of return. Sometimes that's a bountiful turnip harvest, and sometimes that's a happy populace. While both series would go on to grow and change, these SNES versions are the simplest distillation of what they are trying to accomplish.
LINKS OF NOTE:
Growth Hacking (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Growth_hacking)
Retronauts on Slow Life Games (www.retronauts.com/?p=1066)
Bush (www.youtube.com/watch?v=oFkTSPjER6o)
Harvest Moon for iOS (www.technologytell.com/apple/150687/…-this-winter/)
Dog's Life (www.youtube.com/watch?v=D0WsnngckdU)
Blood in Chocolate Milk (www.snopes.com/horrors/food/chocmilk.asp)
Raid on Bungelin Bay (www.youtube.com/watch?v=BeCZaxVP0nk)
LGR on Simcity (www.youtube.com/watch?v=O42kxeilMaQ)
Bookit! (www.bookitprogram.com/)
Gary Butterfield and Kole Ross manage to talk about Harvest Moon and SimCity (the SNES versions of both).

This Split EP is dedicated to two SNES games that take it a little bit slow. Both Harvest Moon and SimCity ask the player to make decisions about how to use limited resources like time and money in order to get some kind of return. Sometimes that's a bountiful turnip harvest, and sometimes that's a happy populace. While both series would go on to grow and change, these SNES versions are the simplest distillation of what they are trying to accomplish.

]]>
Gary Butterfield and Kole Ross manage to talk about Harvest Moon and SimCity (the SNES versions of both).

This Split EP is dedicated to two SNES games that take it a little bit slow. Both Harvest Moon and SimCity ask the player to make decisions about how to use limited resources like time and money in order to get some kind of return. Sometimes that's a bountiful turnip harvest, and sometimes that's a happy populace. While both series would go on to grow and change, these SNES versions are the simplest distillation of what they are trying to accomplish.

It's simultaneously a singular expression, and one of the most eclectic games we've covered for the show. Katamari Damacy is an extremely simple game with one goal: to instill as much joy in you as possible. And it works.

It's simultaneously a singular expression, and one of the most eclectic games we've covered for the show. Katamari Damacy is an extremely simple game with one goal: to instill as much joy in you as possible. And it works.

]]>
Episode 100: Super Metroidhttps://www.watchoutforfireballs.com/100
tag:soundcloud,2010:tracks/205453015Wed, 13 May 2015 20:00:00 -0400Duckfeed.tvfullDuckfeed.tvGary Butterfield and Kole Ross gush about Super Metroid in this centennial episode of Watch Out for Fireballs!
2:26:11yesGary Butterfield and Kole Ross gush about Super Metroid in this centennial episode of Watch Out for Fireballs!
"Break Glass in Case of Emergency". There's a whole category of game that Gary and I avoid playing for the show. They're in the upper echelon. They're top tier. If we brought them out regularly, everything else would feel like a chore.
But sometimes it's a special occasion, and you have to bring out the fine china. And Super Metroid is some fine, fine China. On one hand, it's an expansion and elaboration on the stuff that made Metroid 1 and 2 unique. On the other, it's a foundational text that cemented a whole new genre in place. Listen, as we break the glass and talk about one of the best games of all time.
But first, get hyped by watching this trailer, created for us by Allison Baker: www.youtube.com/watch?v=oGM20MejGGg
LINKS OF NOTE:
Bloodstained (www.kickstarter.com/projects/iga/bl…al-of-the-night)
Really cool Super Metroid speedrun (www.youtube.com/watch?v=lmfV8IhsHq0)
What We Talk About... (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/What_We_Tal…_Talk_About_Love)
Birdman (www.youtube.com/watch?v=uJfLoE6hanc)
Castlevania 64 (www.youtube.com/watch?v=_O2PTrBlcPM)
James Adomian is amazing (www.youtube.com/watch?v=KFyo9b4_6iY)
Homsar (www.hrwiki.org/wiki/Homsar)
Wolverine Origins (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Origin_%28comics%29)
Parish rules. Anatomy of Super Metroid (www.anatomyofgames.com/2014/03/10/th…uper-metroid/)
Butter Avengers (images.dailykos.com/images/141704/l….jpg?1430789335)
Teenage Dirtbags Preview and Amazing Video (www.youtube.com/watch?v=MaCZN2N6Q_I)
Gary Butterfield and Kole Ross gush about Super Metroid in this centennial episode of Watch Out for Fireballs!

"Break Glass in Case of Emergency". There's a whole category of game that Gary and I avoid playing for the show. They're in the upper echelon. They're top tier. If we brought them out regularly, everything else would feel like a chore.

But sometimes it's a special occasion, and you have to bring out the fine china. And Super Metroid is some fine, fine China. On one hand, it's an expansion and elaboration on the stuff that made Metroid 1 and 2 unique. On the other, it's a foundational text that cemented a whole new genre in place. Listen, as we break the glass and talk about one of the best games of all time.

]]>
Gary Butterfield and Kole Ross gush about Super Metroid in this centennial episode of Watch Out for Fireballs!

"Break Glass in Case of Emergency". There's a whole category of game that Gary and I avoid playing for the show. They're in the upper echelon. They're top tier. If we brought them out regularly, everything else would feel like a chore.

But sometimes it's a special occasion, and you have to bring out the fine china. And Super Metroid is some fine, fine China. On one hand, it's an expansion and elaboration on the stuff that made Metroid 1 and 2 unique. On the other, it's a foundational text that cemented a whole new genre in place. Listen, as we break the glass and talk about one of the best games of all time.

This game won our Spring Survival Horror poll, and for good reason. Frictional mastered the "first person, pursuit-based exploration horror" genre, and created a game that's so scary that a lot of people can't even play it. Listen in, especially if you're one of those people.

]]>
Gary Butterfield and Kole Ross hide in a corner while Amnesia: The Dark Descent happens.

This game won our Spring Survival Horror poll, and for good reason. Frictional mastered the "first person, pursuit-based exploration horror" genre, and created a game that's so scary that a lot of people can't even play it. Listen in, especially if you're one of those people.

If you're judging this game on adorableness, it passes with flying colors. If you're judging it on mechanics, it's the best introduction to Roguelikes you're likely to get. If you're judging it on story... Wait, where's Rafaello? I love him so god damn much.

LINKS OF NOTE:

If you're judging this game on adorableness, it passes with flying colors. If you're judging it on mechanics, it's the best introduction to Roguelikes you're likely to get. If you're judging it on story... Wait, where's Rafaello? I love him so god damn much.

]]>
Episode 97: Commander Keen in "Goodbye, Galaxy!"https://www.watchoutforfireballs.com/97
tag:soundcloud,2010:tracks/198943348Thu, 02 Apr 2015 14:00:00 -0400Duckfeed.tvfullDuckfeed.tvGary Butterfield and Kole Ross walk backward and talk about Commander Keen in "Goodbye, Galaxy!"
1:45:01yesGary Butterfield and Kole Ross walk backward and talk about Commander Keen in "Goodbye, Galaxy!"
We're always looking to shore up blind spots in the games we cover. After nearly four years of doing this show, it's important to avoid ruts. Commander Keen represents a particular stripe of PC platformers that was ultimately an evolutionary dead end. But in his time, Commander Keen was charming and fun. This episode actually covers two games: "The Secret of the Oracle" and "The Armageddon Machine". The former is an essential play, the latter is dull garbage.
LINKS OF NOTE:
ID on SMB3 (www.youtube.com/watch?v=cj4HJkeQSg0)
Moraff's World (www.youtube.com/watch?v=uPaEx35bWSA)
Errant Signal on Doom (www.youtube.com/watch?v=TyOF2RsO3ck)
The Wrestler (www.youtube.com/watch?v=61-GFxjTyV0)
Terrence Trent D'Arby (www.youtube.com/watch?v=ynIHsHYaig0)
What Brownian Motion Actually Is (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brownian_motion)
Gary Butterfield and Kole Ross walk backward and talk about Commander Keen in "Goodbye, Galaxy!"

We're always looking to shore up blind spots in the games we cover. After nearly four years of doing this show, it's important to avoid ruts. Commander Keen represents a particular stripe of PC platformers that was ultimately an evolutionary dead end. But in his time, Commander Keen was charming and fun. This episode actually covers two games: "The Secret of the Oracle" and "The Armageddon Machine". The former is an essential play, the latter is dull garbage.

We're always looking to shore up blind spots in the games we cover. After nearly four years of doing this show, it's important to avoid ruts. Commander Keen represents a particular stripe of PC platformers that was ultimately an evolutionary dead end. But in his time, Commander Keen was charming and fun. This episode actually covers two games: "The Secret of the Oracle" and "The Armageddon Machine". The former is an essential play, the latter is dull garbage.

LINKS OF NOTE:

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Episode 96: Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfarehttps://www.watchoutforfireballs.com/96
tag:soundcloud,2010:tracks/196659001Thu, 19 Mar 2015 11:00:00 -0400Duckfeed.tvfullDuckfeed.tvGary Butterfield and Kole Ross noscope with Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare.
1:33:32yesGary Butterfield and Kole Ross noscope with Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare.
Call of Duty has become emblematic of AAA bloat. Podcasts like ours tend to dismiss it out of hand as the poster child for a kind of game that hasn't just run out of ideas, but refuses to be reflective about the ideas it does have. It could be argued that it all began here. However, it's more complicated than that. Call of Duty 4 is a perfectly fine shooter with moments that really stand out. Moreover, it's a game that has heart, from a series that notoriously lacks it.
LINKS OF NOTE:
Hardline (www.youtube.com/watch?v=O0TfCQAQJAE)
See how no one ever hits anyone else? (www.youtube.com/watch?v=hE9CEC7hZJw)
Generation Kill (www.youtube.com/watch?v=bobBTYwkDhc)
Aerial America (www.youtube.com/watch?v=izIc-lcvmEw)
Gary owns one of these (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liquidator_%28Chernobyl%29)
Heat (www.youtube.com/watch?v=0xbBLJ1WGwQ)
Dragon, throw me (arresteddevelopment.wikia.com/wiki/Ready…,_Marry_Me)
Gary Butterfield and Kole Ross noscope with Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare.

Call of Duty has become emblematic of AAA bloat. Podcasts like ours tend to dismiss it out of hand as the poster child for a kind of game that hasn't just run out of ideas, but refuses to be reflective about the ideas it does have. It could be argued that it all began here. However, it's more complicated than that. Call of Duty 4 is a perfectly fine shooter with moments that really stand out. Moreover, it's a game that has heart, from a series that notoriously lacks it.

Call of Duty has become emblematic of AAA bloat. Podcasts like ours tend to dismiss it out of hand as the poster child for a kind of game that hasn't just run out of ideas, but refuses to be reflective about the ideas it does have. It could be argued that it all began here. However, it's more complicated than that. Call of Duty 4 is a perfectly fine shooter with moments that really stand out. Moreover, it's a game that has heart, from a series that notoriously lacks it.

]]>
Extrasode: Game Bookshttps://www.watchoutforfireballs.com/95e
tag:soundcloud,2010:tracks/195564354Thu, 12 Mar 2015 16:00:00 -0400Duckfeed.tvfullDuckfeed.tvGary Butterfield and Kole Ross read your responses to game book and Choose Your Own Adventures.
21:34yesGary Butterfield and Kole Ross read your responses to game book and Choose Your Own Adventures.
LINKS OF NOTE:
Choose Your Own Autobiography (www.amazon.com/Neil-Patrick-Harr…phy/dp/0385346999)
The Aviator Book (www.amazon.com/Howard-Hughes-The…ife/dp/0312329970)
The Crystal Trap (zelda.wikia.com/wiki/The_Crystal_Trap)
Gary Butterfield and Kole Ross read your responses to game book and Choose Your Own Adventures.

]]>
Episode 95: Game Bookshttps://www.watchoutforfireballs.com/95
tag:soundcloud,2010:tracks/194363162Thu, 05 Mar 2015 10:00:00 -0500Duckfeed.tvfullDuckfeed.tvGary Butterfield and Kole Ross venture forth to discuss game books, choose your own adventures, and Steve Jackson's Sorcery!
2:12:58yesGary Butterfield and Kole Ross venture forth to discuss game books, choose your own adventures, and Steve Jackson's Sorcery!
What is game? It's any interactive experience that has both failure states and a success state. By that reasoning, game books are games. Also, it's in the name. This special episode is all about non-video interactive narratives, books with branching paths and mechanics.
We cover the Bantam Choose Your Own Adventure Books, Fighting Fantasy, Lone Wolf, Steve Jackson's Sorcery!, the Goosebumps Choose Your Own Scare, and more. For as nostalgic as this topic is, there's a surprising connection between these books and the current crop of narrative-driven games we play today.
LINKS OF NOTE:
You Chose Wrong (youchosewrong.tumblr.com/)
Clickventure (www.clickhole.com/clickventure/mys…ow-island-1880#2,)
Quest for Glory (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quest_for_Glory)
Gamebook Archives (www.gamebooks.org/)
The Two Jakes (www.youtube.com/watch?v=WWbiQAr8miI)
Black Bug Room (marvel.wikia.com/Black_Bug_Room)
Lonewolf Online (www.projectaon.org/en/Main/Books)
Mormon Afterlife (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Degrees_of_glory)
All My Circuits (theinfosphere.org/All_My_Circuits)
Sexist Xanth books (www.avclub.com/article/revisitin…y-of-xanth-104382)
@dril (twitter.com/dril)
Gary Butterfield and Kole Ross venture forth to discuss game books, choose your own adventures, and Steve Jackson's Sorcery!

What is game? It's any interactive experience that has both failure states and a success state. By that reasoning, game books are games. Also, it's in the name. This special episode is all about non-video interactive narratives, books with branching paths and mechanics.

We cover the Bantam Choose Your Own Adventure Books, Fighting Fantasy, Lone Wolf, Steve Jackson's Sorcery!, the Goosebumps Choose Your Own Scare, and more. For as nostalgic as this topic is, there's a surprising connection between these books and the current crop of narrative-driven games we play today.

What is game? It's any interactive experience that has both failure states and a success state. By that reasoning, game books are games. Also, it's in the name. This special episode is all about non-video interactive narratives, books with branching paths and mechanics.

We cover the Bantam Choose Your Own Adventure Books, Fighting Fantasy, Lone Wolf, Steve Jackson's Sorcery!, the Goosebumps Choose Your Own Scare, and more. For as nostalgic as this topic is, there's a surprising connection between these books and the current crop of narrative-driven games we play today.

]]>
Episode 94: Star Control IIhttps://www.watchoutforfireballs.com/94
tag:soundcloud,2010:tracks/191993429Thu, 19 Feb 2015 15:00:00 -0500Duckfeed.tvfullDuckfeed.tvGary Butterfield, Kole Ross, and Zack Johnson open a hailing frequency to talk about Star Control II.
2:33:18yesGary Butterfield, Kole Ross, and Zack Johnson open a hailing frequency to talk about Star Control II.
The Ur-Quan and their battle thralls have dominated this quadrant of the galaxy, and it's up to a human crew with some Precursor technology to reunite the Alliance of Free Stars and act as liberators. This is a game that defies categorization. Part space combat arcade game, part resource gathering, part adventure game... the larger picture of all of these pretty little parts is an engrossing world filled with varied and interesting species and civilizations, each with their own stories to tell. This ranks really high up there on our list of favorite games we've done on the show, and we really recommend you check it out.
LINKS OF NOTE:
3DO controller (www.google.com/search?q=3do+cont…g&amp;biw=999&amp;bih=810)
Star Control 1. Mute the dude (www.youtube.com/watch?v=NX0M2Ftf6ho)
Article on Starflight (www.filfre.net/2014/10/starflight/)
The Velvet Fog (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mel_Torm%C3%A9)
2001 Sequels (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2001:_A_Spa…novel%29#Sequels)
JW Stillwater (www.youtube.com/watch?v=vtxoRjYEhU8)
Kingdom of Loathing (www.kingdomofloathing.com/login.php?lo…74e3120d1fb6)
Video Games Hot Dog (videogameshotdog.com/)
Gary Butterfield, Kole Ross, and Zack Johnson open a hailing frequency to talk about Star Control II.

The Ur-Quan and their battle thralls have dominated this quadrant of the galaxy, and it's up to a human crew with some Precursor technology to reunite the Alliance of Free Stars and act as liberators. This is a game that defies categorization. Part space combat arcade game, part resource gathering, part adventure game... the larger picture of all of these pretty little parts is an engrossing world filled with varied and interesting species and civilizations, each with their own stories to tell. This ranks really high up there on our list of favorite games we've done on the show, and we really recommend you check it out.

]]>
Gary Butterfield, Kole Ross, and Zack Johnson open a hailing frequency to talk about Star Control II.

The Ur-Quan and their battle thralls have dominated this quadrant of the galaxy, and it's up to a human crew with some Precursor technology to reunite the Alliance of Free Stars and act as liberators. This is a game that defies categorization. Part space combat arcade game, part resource gathering, part adventure game... the larger picture of all of these pretty little parts is an engrossing world filled with varied and interesting species and civilizations, each with their own stories to tell. This ranks really high up there on our list of favorite games we've done on the show, and we really recommend you check it out.

]]>
Extrasode: Jet Set Radiohttps://www.watchoutforfireballs.com/93e
tag:soundcloud,2010:tracks/190785474Thu, 12 Feb 2015 12:00:00 -0500Duckfeed.tvfullDuckfeed.tvGary Butterfield and Kole Ross read your responses to Jet Set Radio.
27:51yesGary Butterfield and Kole Ross read your responses to Jet Set Radio.
The audience was mostly in agreement with us that the game is a case of style over substance. But tune in to hear the praise anyway, because damn is that style good. Also, Brayton Cameron calls in to educate us on where the music in Jet Set Radio comes from.
LINKS OF NOTE:
Alcatraz Audio Tour (www.youtube.com/watch?v=4XLoMqydKN4)
African Grey Parrot (www.youtube.com/watch?v=rH80gzSs790)
Shibuya-Kei (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shibuya-kei)
Iron and Blood (www.youtube.com/watch?v=xotDSUM4v0k)
Revolt of Gamers (www.youtube.com/watch?v=7N-rD0F3Psk)
Noah's Arcade (www.youtube.com/watch?v=vDP9jfIwe7A)
Umberto Eco's Getting Up (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Umberto_Eco)
Gary Butterfield and Kole Ross read your responses to Jet Set Radio.

The audience was mostly in agreement with us that the game is a case of style over substance. But tune in to hear the praise anyway, because damn is that style good. Also, Brayton Cameron calls in to educate us on where the music in Jet Set Radio comes from.

The audience was mostly in agreement with us that the game is a case of style over substance. But tune in to hear the praise anyway, because damn is that style good. Also, Brayton Cameron calls in to educate us on where the music in Jet Set Radio comes from.

]]>
Episode 93: Jet Set Radiohttps://www.watchoutforfireballs.com/93
tag:soundcloud,2010:tracks/189641787Thu, 05 Feb 2015 12:00:00 -0500Duckfeed.tvfullDuckfeed.tvGary Butterfield and Kole Ross dig through the ditches of Jet Set Radio.
1:40:14yesGary Butterfield and Kole Ross dig through the ditches of Jet Set Radio.
It's gang warfare in its most stylish and innocent form. It's also a gleeful tribute to free expression in the face of corporate oppression. It's got one of the best soundtracks in any game, ever. Difficulty issues aside, this is a unique game that's worth playing if only to see the kinds of strange things that happened in the Dreamcast era.
Links of Note:
WOFF! T-Shirt (http://teespring.com/watch-out-for-fireballs-logo)
Encephalitis (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Encephalitis)
JSR Documentary (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YayOHx6K7b4)
The Sea Urchin (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XkM-nRL_U38)
Harvey Bullock (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RdY4e5DAFUU)
John Woo's Stranglehold (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6vuqyFMu0Sg)
GGG (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Savage_Love#GGG)
Smokin' Aces (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LwJhJV5yipo)
Gary Butterfield and Kole Ross dig through the ditches of Jet Set Radio.

It's gang warfare in its most stylish and innocent form. It's also a gleeful tribute to free expression in the face of corporate oppression. It's got one of the best soundtracks in any game, ever. Difficulty issues aside, this is a unique game that's worth playing if only to see the kinds of strange things that happened in the Dreamcast era.

Links of Note:

]]>
Gary Butterfield and Kole Ross dig through the ditches of Jet Set Radio.

It's gang warfare in its most stylish and innocent form. It's also a gleeful tribute to free expression in the face of corporate oppression. It's got one of the best soundtracks in any game, ever. Difficulty issues aside, this is a unique game that's worth playing if only to see the kinds of strange things that happened in the Dreamcast era.

What happens when a young swordsman is summoned into a world built entirely around food puns? An episode that splits our hosts on whether or not Brave Fencer Musashi stood the test of time. This won our Winter Action RPG 2015 poll, and Kole sincerely hopes he doesn't offend any listeners by saying mean things about this game.

What happens when a young swordsman is summoned into a world built entirely around food puns? An episode that splits our hosts on whether or not Brave Fencer Musashi stood the test of time. This won our Winter Action RPG 2015 poll, and Kole sincerely hopes he doesn't offend any listeners by saying mean things about this game.

Links of Note:

Links of Note:

[Gneiss Schist](en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schist)

[Guitar Hero Arcade](guitarhero.wikia.com/wiki/Guitar_Hero_Arcade)

]]>
Episode 91: Rock Bandhttps://www.watchoutforfireballs.com/91
tag:soundcloud,2010:tracks/184854062Wed, 07 Jan 2015 00:00:00 -0500Duckfeed.tvfullDuckfeed.tvGary Butterfield and Kole Ross jam on Rock Band. Music games used to be massive, but now they barely exist.
2:54:18yesGary Butterfield and Kole Ross jam on Rock Band.
Music games used to be massive, but now they barely exist. Those plastic instruments helped us feel like we could play music. For me personally, these games helped me get better at appreciating music, and encouraged me to learn more instruments myself. Rock Band was the king of the heap, in quality if not always in sales, and now you can hear us jaw about music for three hours.
Links of Note:
Counting Blue Cars (www.youtube.com/watch?v=Clxtg2pFTQM)
Drum Notation (www.google.com/search?espv=2&amp;tbm…1&amp;biw=953&amp;bih=848)
Rock Revolution (www.youtube.com/watch?v=656yWb3hjc4)
Rock Band 3d Printing (www.pddnet.com/articles/2009/10/…ck-band-figurines)
Hole Guitar Isolated (www.youtube.com/watch?v=v-xUwDARVb4)
RHCP2014 (rhcp2014.com/)
Role Models (www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Bst-K65RpI)
Money City Maniacs- Sloan (www.youtube.com/watch?v=WXh81JTt0ng)
The Way - Fastball (youtu.be/b0wfu3tOrtQ)
For Real - Okkervil River (www.youtube.com/watch?v=zlB2XLmA4Ec)
Venus - Television (www.youtube.com/watch?v=4f3d5ZdE4vY)
Digging For Something - Superchunk (www.youtube.com/watch?v=VvdXEHlz-Qg)
Shangri La - The Kinks (www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kt0IXkIVvo4)
Gary Butterfield and Kole Ross jam on Rock Band.

Music games used to be massive, but now they barely exist. Those plastic instruments helped us feel like we could play music. For me personally, these games helped me get better at appreciating music, and encouraged me to learn more instruments myself. Rock Band was the king of the heap, in quality if not always in sales, and now you can hear us jaw about music for three hours.

Music games used to be massive, but now they barely exist. Those plastic instruments helped us feel like we could play music. For me personally, these games helped me get better at appreciating music, and encouraged me to learn more instruments myself. Rock Band was the king of the heap, in quality if not always in sales, and now you can hear us jaw about music for three hours.

]]>
Episode 90: The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind (Part 3)https://www.watchoutforfireballs.com/90
tag:soundcloud,2010:tracks/183115136Thu, 25 Dec 2014 11:00:00 -0500Duckfeed.tvfullDuckfeed.tvGary Butterfield and Kole Ross meander through the remaining quest lines in The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind.
1:51:21yesGary Butterfield and Kole Ross meander through the remaining quest lines in The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind.
This is the final chapter of our Morrowind adventure. Things take a religious bent as we look at the Tribunal Temple and the Imperial Cult, then we get a little martial with the Imperial Legion. We ask which Great House is the greatest, and decide that building your own house is kinda dumb. Finally, we serve the occult by doing the Vampire and Daedra quests. It's a show 'n' tell grab bag of the rest of the best.
LINKS OF NOTE:
Onion Romantic Comedy (www.theonion.com/articles/romanti…an-arrested,757/)
EC on MMO Quests (www.youtube.com/watch?v=otAkP5VjIv8)
VVVVVV (www.youtube.com/watch?v=FxuacwotoQw)
Cool World (www.youtube.com/watch?v=q32xMkroUwE)
Gary Butterfield and Kole Ross meander through the remaining quest lines in The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind.

This is the final chapter of our Morrowind adventure. Things take a religious bent as we look at the Tribunal Temple and the Imperial Cult, then we get a little martial with the Imperial Legion. We ask which Great House is the greatest, and decide that building your own house is kinda dumb. Finally, we serve the occult by doing the Vampire and Daedra quests. It's a show 'n' tell grab bag of the rest of the best.

This is the final chapter of our Morrowind adventure. Things take a religious bent as we look at the Tribunal Temple and the Imperial Cult, then we get a little martial with the Imperial Legion. We ask which Great House is the greatest, and decide that building your own house is kinda dumb. Finally, we serve the occult by doing the Vampire and Daedra quests. It's a show 'n' tell grab bag of the rest of the best.

]]>
Episode 89: The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind (Part 2)https://www.watchoutforfireballs.com/89
tag:soundcloud,2010:tracks/182118926Thu, 18 Dec 2014 12:00:00 -0500Duckfeed.tvfullDuckfeed.tvGary Butterfield and Kole Ross profess ambivalence about the guild quests in The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind.
57:31yesGary Butterfield and Kole Ross profess ambivalence about the guild quests in The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind.
Sure, the world is in danger... but there's rats to be slain. Also, corrupt and inept guild leaders to oust. Part 2 of our Morrowind series dives into the Fighters, Mages and Thieves guilds, along with the Morag Tong (Assassins). This is where the game falls down a little bit, and the "go here, kill thing, grab thing, return with thing" quest structure starts to wear thin.
Links of Note:
Lamarckism (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lamarckism)
Percious Mercious, Vvardenfell State (www.youtube.com/watch?v=gODZzSOelss)
The Peter Principle (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Principle)
Liartown (liartownusa.tumblr.com/)
Gary Butterfield and Kole Ross profess ambivalence about the guild quests in The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind.

Sure, the world is in danger... but there's rats to be slain. Also, corrupt and inept guild leaders to oust. Part 2 of our Morrowind series dives into the Fighters, Mages and Thieves guilds, along with the Morag Tong (Assassins). This is where the game falls down a little bit, and the "go here, kill thing, grab thing, return with thing" quest structure starts to wear thin.

Sure, the world is in danger... but there's rats to be slain. Also, corrupt and inept guild leaders to oust. Part 2 of our Morrowind series dives into the Fighters, Mages and Thieves guilds, along with the Morag Tong (Assassins). This is where the game falls down a little bit, and the "go here, kill thing, grab thing, return with thing" quest structure starts to wear thin.

]]>
Episode 88: The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind (Part 1)https://www.watchoutforfireballs.com/88
tag:soundcloud,2010:tracks/181051722Thu, 11 Dec 2014 12:00:00 -0500Duckfeed.tvfullDuckfeed.tvGary Butterfield and Kole Ross expand upon the main quest of The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind.
2:12:59yesGary Butterfield and Kole Ross expand upon the main quest of The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind.
It's the biggest game we've ever done for the show. It's so big that it's immune to our usual treatment. This isn't a text you can read from front to back. Instead, it's a world you inhabit. This episode sees us completing the main quest of Morrowind, fulfilling the Nerevarine prophecies and defeating the evil Dagoth Ur. But that's only one part of the story. Next week, we will look into the various guilds of Morrowind.
Links of Note:
Elder Lore Podcast (elderlore.wordpress.com/)
Mod we used (www.ornitocopter.net/morrowind-overhaul/)
Linda Carter in Skyrim (www.youtube.com/watch?v=hJLSbQ72mHE)
Renraku Arcology (shadowrun.wikia.com/wiki/Renraku_Arcology)
Banhammer (www.youtube.com/watch?v=GiII8z_KK7g)
Sometimes when you're searching for Mojo, you find miracles (www.youtube.com/watch?v=oLzZITnwVLk)
Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants (www.youtube.com/watch?v=AKcIG8D8FOY)
Vivec Essay (fallingawkwardly.wordpress.com/2010/10/2…d-part-3/)
Space Jockey (www.youtube.com/watch?v=5l_WJLptNNE)
Gary Butterfield and Kole Ross expand upon the main quest of The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind.

It's the biggest game we've ever done for the show. It's so big that it's immune to our usual treatment. This isn't a text you can read from front to back. Instead, it's a world you inhabit. This episode sees us completing the main quest of Morrowind, fulfilling the Nerevarine prophecies and defeating the evil Dagoth Ur. But that's only one part of the story. Next week, we will look into the various guilds of Morrowind.

]]>
Gary Butterfield and Kole Ross expand upon the main quest of The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind.

It's the biggest game we've ever done for the show. It's so big that it's immune to our usual treatment. This isn't a text you can read from front to back. Instead, it's a world you inhabit. This episode sees us completing the main quest of Morrowind, fulfilling the Nerevarine prophecies and defeating the evil Dagoth Ur. But that's only one part of the story. Next week, we will look into the various guilds of Morrowind.

]]>
Extrasode: Street Fighter IIhttps://www.watchoutforfireballs.com/87e
tag:soundcloud,2010:tracks/179931593Thu, 04 Dec 2014 08:00:00 -0500Duckfeed.tvfullDuckfeed.tvThe attendees of the Portland Retro Games Expo 2014 speak their minds about Street Fighter II.
24:55yesThe attendees of the Portland Retro Games Expo 2014 speak their minds about Street Fighter II.
The attendees of the Portland Retro Games Expo 2014 speak their minds about Street Fighter II.]]>
The attendees of the Portland Retro Games Expo 2014 speak their minds about Street Fighter II.]]>
Episode 87: Street Fighter II (LIVE)https://www.watchoutforfireballs.com/87
tag:soundcloud,2010:tracks/178919115Thu, 27 Nov 2014 12:00:00 -0500Duckfeed.tvfullDuckfeed.tvGary Butterfield and Kole Ross frame-jab a double-floop in Street Fighter II, live from the Portland Retro Gaming Expo 2014.
1:12:26yesGary Butterfield and Kole Ross frame-jab a double-floop in Street Fighter II, live from the Portland Retro Gaming Expo 2014.
We managed to do it, guys. We managed to not only expose how bad we are at Street Fighter II to a whole convention hall of convention-goers... but we got up on stage and acted like experts. This is the first live episode of the show to go out on the feed, and we couldn't be more grateful for the support of our listeners. It made the whole thing possible.
Extra-special thanks to Brayton Cameron and Nick Glauber for helping us man the booth. You are magical people.
Links of Note:
From Masher to Master (shoryuken.com/srk/FightingGamePrimer.pdf)
Gary Butterfield and Kole Ross frame-jab a double-floop in Street Fighter II, live from the Portland Retro Gaming Expo 2014.

We managed to do it, guys. We managed to not only expose how bad we are at Street Fighter II to a whole convention hall of convention-goers... but we got up on stage and acted like experts. This is the first live episode of the show to go out on the feed, and we couldn't be more grateful for the support of our listeners. It made the whole thing possible.

Extra-special thanks to Brayton Cameron and Nick Glauber for helping us man the booth. You are magical people.

Links of Note:

We managed to do it, guys. We managed to not only expose how bad we are at Street Fighter II to a whole convention hall of convention-goers... but we got up on stage and acted like experts. This is the first live episode of the show to go out on the feed, and we couldn't be more grateful for the support of our listeners. It made the whole thing possible.

Extra-special thanks to Brayton Cameron and Nick Glauber for helping us man the booth. You are magical people.

Links of Note:

[From Masher to Master](shoryuken.com/srk/FightingGamePrimer.pdf)

]]>
Extrasode: I Have No Mouth and I Must Screamhttps://www.watchoutforfireballs.com/86e
tag:soundcloud,2010:tracks/177845644Wed, 19 Nov 2014 19:00:00 -0500Duckfeed.tvfullDuckfeed.tvGary Butterfield and Kole Ross read your responses to I Have No Mouth and I Must Scream.
24:00yesGary Butterfield and Kole Ross read your responses to I Have No Mouth and I Must Scream.
Links of Note:
Wolfman Jack (www.youtube.com/watch?v=99z-H_NEccU)
Lockjaw: marvel.wikia.com/Lockjaw_(Earth-616)
Gary Butterfield and Kole Ross read your responses to I Have No Mouth and I Must Scream.

Links of Note:

]]>
Episode 86: I Have No Mouth and I Must Screamhttps://www.watchoutforfireballs.com/86
tag:soundcloud,2010:tracks/176732373Wed, 12 Nov 2014 19:00:00 -0500Duckfeed.tvfullDuckfeed.tvGary Butterfield and Kole Ross analyze I Have No Mouth and I Must Scream.
2:14:03yesGary Butterfield and Kole Ross analyze I Have No Mouth and I Must Scream.
An evil AI named AM has destroyed the world, but he saved five people... in order to torture them for an eternity. Why did he pick these five people? This strange adventure game answers that question through symbolism, ironic punishment, and aberrant psychology.
Links of Note:
I Have No Mouth and I Must Scream (hermiene.net/short-stories/i_have_no_mouth.html)
Fat Albert (www.youtube.com/watch?v=6WT-fxBNKs8)
Hey! Really Giger! (www.youtube.com/watch?v=ymWmfUV3Eqw)
Phalanx Covenant (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phalanx_Covenant)
Game Informer Article (www.gameinformer.com/b/features/arc…st-scream.aspx)
The Lottery (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Lottery)
Dread (www.youtube.com/watch?v=kFm8HHV8ks4)
Hardcore History (www.dancarlin.com/hardcore-history-series/)
Beaver Berry Butts (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Castoreum)
Gary Butterfield and Kole Ross analyze I Have No Mouth and I Must Scream.

An evil AI named AM has destroyed the world, but he saved five people... in order to torture them for an eternity. Why did he pick these five people? This strange adventure game answers that question through symbolism, ironic punishment, and aberrant psychology.

Links of Note:

[I Have No Mouth and I Must Scream](hermiene.net/short-stories/i_have_no_mouth.html)

]]>
Gary Butterfield and Kole Ross analyze I Have No Mouth and I Must Scream.

An evil AI named AM has destroyed the world, but he saved five people... in order to torture them for an eternity. Why did he pick these five people? This strange adventure game answers that question through symbolism, ironic punishment, and aberrant psychology.

Links of Note:

[I Have No Mouth and I Must Scream](hermiene.net/short-stories/i_have_no_mouth.html)

Links of Note:

]]>
Episode 85: Resident Evilhttps://www.watchoutforfireballs.com/85
tag:soundcloud,2010:tracks/174563018Wed, 29 Oct 2014 20:00:00 -0400Duckfeed.tvfullDuckfeed.tvGary Butterfield and Kole Ross experiment with the 2002 remake of Resident Evil.
2:25:21yesGary Butterfield and Kole Ross experiment with the 2002 remake of Resident Evil.
It's the best example of what a video game remake should be: Don't just keep what worked before, but add to it while still remembering what made the original special. The first Resident Evil is an establishing work in the survival horror cannon, but this remake is the definitive version. Beautiful and horrifying, this is a game you should play.
Links of Note:
HD reREmake (www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ot1-xyvE_8A)
Reisdent Evil Archives (residentevil.wikia.com/Resident_Evil_Archives)
The Comic I kept calling Supreme is actually... (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Squadron_Su…e_(Supreme_Power))
Jim Breuer's eyes (www.google.com/search?q=jim+breu…w&amp;ved=0CAgQ_AUoAQ)
Vultures are disgusting and cool (www.youtube.com/watch?v=ieBhJlCxnt8)
Afraid of Monsters (www.youtube.com/watch?v=yvwxWZjFNoE)
Spagett! (www.youtube.com/watch?v=uyh3C1xDT3Y)
Well, I was wrong about this too. Beetlejuice (www.youtube.com/watch?v=XQMGsxG73wQ)
Lost Sinner (www.youtube.com/watch?v=dDS3d0VXmyk)
Gary Butterfield and Kole Ross experiment with the 2002 remake of Resident Evil.

It's the best example of what a video game remake should be: Don't just keep what worked before, but add to it while still remembering what made the original special. The first Resident Evil is an establishing work in the survival horror cannon, but this remake is the definitive version. Beautiful and horrifying, this is a game you should play.

It's the best example of what a video game remake should be: Don't just keep what worked before, but add to it while still remembering what made the original special. The first Resident Evil is an establishing work in the survival horror cannon, but this remake is the definitive version. Beautiful and horrifying, this is a game you should play.

]]>
Episode 84: God Handhttps://www.watchoutforfireballs.com/84
tag:soundcloud,2010:tracks/172396071Wed, 15 Oct 2014 20:00:00 -0400Duckfeed.tvfullDuckfeed.tvGary Butterfield and Kole Ross get spanked by God Hand.
2:03:00yesGary Butterfield and Kole Ross get spanked by God Hand.
It's as simple as can be: You have special kung fu arms, and demons want them. What follows is one of the craziest games we've played for the show. Crazy FUN, that is. By all rights, we shouldn't like this as much as we do, but we do. Pro-play.
Links of Note:
IGN Review (www.ign.com/games/god-hand/ps2-822478)
Kick Me Sign Challenge (www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLF0476588468112C3)
Cho Aniki Rules (www.youtube.com/watch?v=T4MOg8mSILQ)
Ralphie Beatdown (www.youtube.com/watch?v=XvijyBIgazE)
Giant Enemy Crab Remix (www.youtube.com/watch?v=2g1fr5vk72M)
Sports! (www.youtube.com/watch?v=l7u9hP4r1S8)
Asura's Wrath (www.youtube.com/watch?v=q1ug1a6gVl8)
The Gathering of the Juggalos (www.youtube.com/watch?v=23wgbh5KPBs)
American Juggalo (www.youtube.com/watch?v=ExQgBgm9Z-I)
Nathan Rabin's book (www.amazon.com/You-Dont-Know-Lik…res/dp/1451626886)
Mohawk and Headphone Jack (www.youtube.com/watch?v=AnP9pLsSMV4)
Dark Enlightenment (rationalwiki.org/wiki/Neoreactionary_movement)
Old Boy (www.youtube.com/watch?v=cZFIxLCJifw)
God Hand Ending Theme (www.youtube.com/watch?v=SFSen7DRQWU)
This Bonkers song is in Toys (www.youtube.com/watch?v=XypN59_jU74)
Incredible Crisis (www.youtube.com/watch?v=D4WM0Kj7Kbk)
Gary Butterfield and Kole Ross get spanked by God Hand.

It's as simple as can be: You have special kung fu arms, and demons want them. What follows is one of the craziest games we've played for the show. Crazy FUN, that is. By all rights, we shouldn't like this as much as we do, but we do. Pro-play.

It's as simple as can be: You have special kung fu arms, and demons want them. What follows is one of the craziest games we've played for the show. Crazy FUN, that is. By all rights, we shouldn't like this as much as we do, but we do. Pro-play.

]]>
Episode 83: Half-Lifehttps://www.watchoutforfireballs.com/83
tag:soundcloud,2010:tracks/170322928Wed, 01 Oct 2014 20:00:00 -0400Duckfeed.tvfullDuckfeed.tvGary Butterfield and Kole Ross bang out a conversation about Half-Life.
2:09:23yesGary Butterfield and Kole Ross bang out a conversation about Half-Life.
It's pretty safe to divide first person shooters into two categories: everything that came before Half-Life, and everything that came after Half-Life. Gordon Freeman's journey through Black Mesa has left an indelible mark on video game history... but does it hold up?
Links of Note:
FEAR (www.youtube.com/watch?v=ylyf9dfp2-c)
Deep Blue Sea (www.youtube.com/watch?v=5LHJxrNLr2g)
Fox Force Five (www.youtube.com/watch?v=A8X2SM0ioJ4)
Quake 3 Railgun (www.youtube.com/watch?v=L-P95mm_GTM)
Taco Bell Coin Game (www.youtube.com/watch?v=88CRnbELGZs)
Nyarlathotep (www.youtube.com/watch?v=YYEksNpGucU)
Happy Gilmore (www.youtube.com/watch?v=yyqoNMwfO6g)
Gary Butterfield and Kole Ross bang out a conversation about Half-Life.

It's pretty safe to divide first person shooters into two categories: everything that came before Half-Life, and everything that came after Half-Life. Gordon Freeman's journey through Black Mesa has left an indelible mark on video game history... but does it hold up?

]]>
Gary Butterfield and Kole Ross bang out a conversation about Half-Life.

It's pretty safe to divide first person shooters into two categories: everything that came before Half-Life, and everything that came after Half-Life. Gordon Freeman's journey through Black Mesa has left an indelible mark on video game history... but does it hold up?

]]>
Episode 82: Contra / Little Nemo: The Dream Masterhttps://www.watchoutforfireballs.com/82
tag:soundcloud,2010:tracks/168307969Wed, 17 Sep 2014 20:00:00 -0400Duckfeed.tvfullDuckfeed.tvGary Butterfield and Kole Ross dream up a podcast about Contra and Little Nemo: The Dream Master.
1:56:04yesGary Butterfield and Kole Ross bang out a conversation about Half-Life.
It's pretty safe to divide first person shooters into two categories: everything that came before Half-Life, and everything that came after Half-Life. Gordon Freeman's journey through Black Mesa has left an indelible mark on video game history... but does it hold up?
Links of Note:
FEAR (www.youtube.com/watch?v=ylyf9dfp2-c)
Deep Blue Sea (www.youtube.com/watch?v=5LHJxrNLr2g)
Fox Force Five (www.youtube.com/watch?v=A8X2SM0ioJ4)
Quake 3 Railgun (www.youtube.com/watch?v=L-P95mm_GTM)
Taco Bell Coin Game (www.youtube.com/watch?v=88CRnbELGZs)
Nyarlathotep (www.youtube.com/watch?v=YYEksNpGucU)
Happy Gilmore (www.youtube.com/watch?v=yyqoNMwfO6g)
Gary Butterfield and Kole Ross bang out a conversation about Half-Life.

It's pretty safe to divide first person shooters into two categories: everything that came before Half-Life, and everything that came after Half-Life. Gordon Freeman's journey through Black Mesa has left an indelible mark on video game history... but does it hold up?

]]>
Gary Butterfield and Kole Ross bang out a conversation about Half-Life.

It's pretty safe to divide first person shooters into two categories: everything that came before Half-Life, and everything that came after Half-Life. Gordon Freeman's journey through Black Mesa has left an indelible mark on video game history... but does it hold up?

LINKS OF NOTE:

]]>
Episode 81: Suikoden II (Part 2)https://www.watchoutforfireballs.com/81
tag:soundcloud,2010:tracks/166201097Thu, 04 Sep 2014 10:00:00 -0400Duckfeed.tvfullDuckfeed.tvGary Butterfield and Kole Ross turn the tables on the back half of Suikoden II.
2:23:43yesGary Butterfield and Kole Ross turn the tables on the back half of Suikoden II.
The tides of war are turning, and the City State of Jowston is making its advances on the Highland Army and the evil Luca Blight. But what happens after they win? Our opinion of Suikoden II remains high, but some of the shine comes off of the apple.
Links of Note:
Soylent: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soylent_(drink)
Quarter Knights (wildarms.wikia.com/wiki/Quarter_Knights)
Shadow Broker (masseffect.wikia.com/wiki/Lair_of_t…_Shadow_Broker)
Ants! (www.amazon.com/Prisoner-People-C…ure/dp/1933390107)
Goody Two Shu (www.youtube.com/results?search_qu…t+goody+two+shoes)
Blood Golem (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marc_Quinn)
Shy Boys IRL (www.youtube.com/watch?v=YVxImjpOXP8)
Lars and the Real Girl (www.youtube.com/watch?v=I1XxILVnt1w)
Little Nemo Arcade (www.youtube.com/watch?v=iQ--s27rnD8)
They Called Me Mr. Glass (www.youtube.com/watch?v=omjySV9M7wo)
Gary Butterfield and Kole Ross turn the tables on the back half of Suikoden II.

The tides of war are turning, and the City State of Jowston is making its advances on the Highland Army and the evil Luca Blight. But what happens after they win? Our opinion of Suikoden II remains high, but some of the shine comes off of the apple.

]]>
Gary Butterfield and Kole Ross turn the tables on the back half of Suikoden II.

The tides of war are turning, and the City State of Jowston is making its advances on the Highland Army and the evil Luca Blight. But what happens after they win? Our opinion of Suikoden II remains high, but some of the shine comes off of the apple.

]]>
Episode 80: Suikoden II (Part 1)https://www.watchoutforfireballs.com/80
tag:soundcloud,2010:tracks/164111542Thu, 21 Aug 2014 08:00:00 -0400Duckfeed.tvfullDuckfeed.tvGary Butterfield and Kole Ross join up to talk about the first half of Suikoden II.
2:12:25yesGary Butterfield and Kole Ross join up to talk about the first half of Suikoden II.
It's Summer RPG time, and this year we turn our attention toward Suikoden II. It's probably known best nowadays for being incredibly rare and expensive, but there's so much more that makes this game remarkable. The tense struggle between the Kingdom of Highland and the City State of Jowston is memorable, and so are its key players. On the play side, several different genres are represented here, and greatly simplified.
For this episode, we play up through Two River. Next episode, we'll finish the game out.
Before you listen to the episode, please watch this trailer to get in the proper mindset (thanks, @AllisonByProxy (twitter.com/allisonbyproxy)!).
www.youtube.com/watch?v=lNgjIoakzUk
LINKS OF NOTE:
Starman (www.youtube.com/watch?v=g3WtvzmKCQQ)
Johnny Five Aces (knowyourmeme.com/memes/zybourne-clock)
Stonewall Jackson (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stonewall_Jackson)
Beyond the Beyond (www.gamespite.net/toastywiki/index…-BeyondTheBeyond)
House Atreides (www.youtube.com/watch?v=jPNfgXBlzm0)
Beforeiplay (beforeiplay.com/index.php?title=Main_Page)
Forest Maze Music (www.youtube.com/watch?v=vkailb3xcTI)
Gary Butterfield and Kole Ross join up to talk about the first half of Suikoden II.

It's Summer RPG time, and this year we turn our attention toward Suikoden II. It's probably known best nowadays for being incredibly rare and expensive, but there's so much more that makes this game remarkable. The tense struggle between the Kingdom of Highland and the City State of Jowston is memorable, and so are its key players. On the play side, several different genres are represented here, and greatly simplified.

For this episode, we play up through Two River. Next episode, we'll finish the game out.

Before you listen to the episode, please watch this trailer to get in the proper mindset (thanks, [@AllisonByProxy](twitter.com/allisonbyproxy)!).

]]>
Gary Butterfield and Kole Ross join up to talk about the first half of Suikoden II.

It's Summer RPG time, and this year we turn our attention toward Suikoden II. It's probably known best nowadays for being incredibly rare and expensive, but there's so much more that makes this game remarkable. The tense struggle between the Kingdom of Highland and the City State of Jowston is memorable, and so are its key players. On the play side, several different genres are represented here, and greatly simplified.

For this episode, we play up through Two River. Next episode, we'll finish the game out.

Before you listen to the episode, please watch this trailer to get in the proper mindset (thanks, [@AllisonByProxy](twitter.com/allisonbyproxy)!).

It’s Solid Snake’s tiniest adventure yet! Returning to an old place to fight an old enemy, this unjustly forgotten entry in the series returns to Metal Gear’s roots on the MSX. 2D stealth is great. This game defies what you’d expect from the Gameboy Color.

It’s Solid Snake’s tiniest adventure yet! Returning to an old place to fight an old enemy, this unjustly forgotten entry in the series returns to Metal Gear’s roots on the MSX. 2D stealth is great. This game defies what you’d expect from the Gameboy Color.

]]>
Extrasode: Cave Storyhttps://www.watchoutforfireballs.com/78e
tag:soundcloud,2010:tracks/161090751Wed, 30 Jul 2014 20:00:00 -0400Duckfeed.tvfullDuckfeed.tvGary Butterfield and Kole Ross read your responses to Cave Story.
17:54yesGary Butterfield and Kole Ross read your responses to Cave Story.
Gary Butterfield and Kole Ross read your responses to Cave Story.]]>
Gary Butterfield and Kole Ross read your responses to Cave Story.]]>
Episode 78: Cave Storyhttps://www.watchoutforfireballs.com/78
tag:soundcloud,2010:tracks/160592261Wed, 23 Jul 2014 20:00:00 -0400Duckfeed.tvfullDuckfeed.tvGary Butterfield and Kole Ross plumb the depths of Cave Story.
2:12:57yesGary Butterfield and Kole Ross plumb the depths of Cave Story.
It’s a story that will make you feel like you’ve wasted your life. A while back, a single man dedicated five years to singlehandedly crafting one of the most beloved modern platformers. Oh, and he also fired the starting pistol on the indie game movement as we know it. But excuse us, we’re just talking into microphones forever.
LINKS OF NOTE:
Speedrun: www.youtube.com/watch?v=cqCSJyFOaaw
The Diving Bell and The Butterfly: www.youtube.com/watch?v=G69Zh7YIg8c
Super Meatboy: www.youtube.com/watch?v=JHJsnXRb_Es
Hotline Miami: www.youtube.com/watch?v=9wWnr3A2YNg
1,001 Spikes: www.youtube.com/watch?v=E0OWjhHTz-M
Gary Butterfield and Kole Ross plumb the depths of Cave Story.

It’s a story that will make you feel like you’ve wasted your life. A while back, a single man dedicated five years to singlehandedly crafting one of the most beloved modern platformers. Oh, and he also fired the starting pistol on the indie game movement as we know it. But excuse us, we’re just talking into microphones forever.

It’s a story that will make you feel like you’ve wasted your life. A while back, a single man dedicated five years to singlehandedly crafting one of the most beloved modern platformers. Oh, and he also fired the starting pistol on the indie game movement as we know it. But excuse us, we’re just talking into microphones forever.

LINKS OF NOTE:

]]>
Episode 77: Gabriel Knight 2: The Beast Withinhttps://www.watchoutforfireballs.com/77
tag:soundcloud,2010:tracks/160591266Wed, 09 Jul 2014 20:00:00 -0400Duckfeed.tvfullDuckfeed.tvGary Butterfield, Kole Ross, and Will Owens sniff around Gabriel Knight 2: The Beast Within.
2:30:30yesGary Butterfield, Kole Ross, and Will Owens sniff around Gabriel Knight 2: The Beast Within.
FMV games are a bizarre evolutionary dead end, but we found the very best one to give the WOFF! treatment. Gabriel Knight is back on the case, in full living color, hunting down a Bavarian werewolf and learning a little bit about his own sexuality. We can take solace in one fact: We can’t mangle German any worse than Gabriel Knight himself.
Special thanks to our Kickstarter backer Will Owens for suggesting this awesome game AND joining us to talk about it.
LINKS OF NOTE:
Lieber in Naked Gun: www.youtube.com/watch?v=NJhGfjW1-fA
Backlog Killer: duckfeed.tv/backlogkiller/
Deinterlace patch: www.gog.com/forum/gabrielknigh…erlacepatchongk2
MiB: www.youtube.com/watch?v=xtOkNZK-m4A
Bill’s Cousin: www.youtube.com/watch?v=8eyU7qAJ8zg
The Cave: www.youtube.com/watch?v=i-Gis_JqFRU
Chapter 5 intro: www.youtube.com/watch?v=V4_aw1Vfjvo
Never ending Opera Scene: www.youtube.com/watch?v=RE0Gz_GNCQ8
David Lynch: www.youtube.com/watch?v=wKiIroiCvZ0
The Complete Under a Killing Moon: www.youtube.com/watch?v=LbpQxxtH0Bc
Moebius: www.youtube.com/watch?v=jII-ivS_7N8
Gary Butterfield, Kole Ross, and Will Owens sniff around Gabriel Knight 2: The Beast Within.

FMV games are a bizarre evolutionary dead end, but we found the very best one to give the WOFF! treatment. Gabriel Knight is back on the case, in full living color, hunting down a Bavarian werewolf and learning a little bit about his own sexuality. We can take solace in one fact: We can’t mangle German any worse than Gabriel Knight himself.

Special thanks to our Kickstarter backer Will Owens for suggesting this awesome game AND joining us to talk about it.

FMV games are a bizarre evolutionary dead end, but we found the very best one to give the WOFF! treatment. Gabriel Knight is back on the case, in full living color, hunting down a Bavarian werewolf and learning a little bit about his own sexuality. We can take solace in one fact: We can’t mangle German any worse than Gabriel Knight himself.

Special thanks to our Kickstarter backer Will Owens for suggesting this awesome game AND joining us to talk about it.

With the announcement and release of the Xbox One, the Xbox 360 is now just retro enough for us to not feel bad covering it. What better place to start than the pack-in that came with the Halo 3 Multiplayer Beta? Crackdown is simple and great.

With the announcement and release of the Xbox One, the Xbox 360 is now just retro enough for us to not feel bad covering it. What better place to start than the pack-in that came with the Halo 3 Multiplayer Beta? Crackdown is simple and great.

Tappa tappa tappa. Tappa tappa tappa. We can’t let Apocalypse win! This marks our first foray into Diablo-likes, talking about the one and only time the X-Men and Brotherhood joined forces for the greater good.

Tappa tappa tappa. Tappa tappa tappa. We can’t let Apocalypse win! This marks our first foray into Diablo-likes, talking about the one and only time the X-Men and Brotherhood joined forces for the greater good.

We’re talking about talking, as Mike Thorton gets double, triple, and quadruple-crossed on his mission to save the world from all-out-war. What’s the opposite of a critical darling? A critical bastard? Whatever it is, we seek to call out what works in this maligned gem.

OUR KIND SPONSOR:

Geekocalypse: geekocalypse.net/

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Gary Butterfield and Kole Ross investigate Alpha Protocol.

We’re talking about talking, as Mike Thorton gets double, triple, and quadruple-crossed on his mission to save the world from all-out-war. What’s the opposite of a critical darling? A critical bastard? Whatever it is, we seek to call out what works in this maligned gem.

I can't even pretend to summarize what happens in Killer7. It even defies genre delineation. Instead, I will go with the angle that Killer7 is an incredibly divisive game that places style over substance... and how much you'll enjoy it depends on how much you dig the style.

I can't even pretend to summarize what happens in Killer7. It even defies genre delineation. Instead, I will go with the angle that Killer7 is an incredibly divisive game that places style over substance... and how much you'll enjoy it depends on how much you dig the style.

]]>
Episode 72: Shadow of the Colossushttps://www.watchoutforfireballs.com/72
tag:soundcloud,2010:tracks/160585666Wed, 30 Apr 2014 20:00:00 -0400Duckfeed.tvfullDuckfeed.tvGary Butterfield and Kole Ross surmount a discussion about Shadow of the Colossus.
2:22:26yesGary Butterfield and Kole Ross surmount a discussion about Shadow of the Colossus.
We generally like to avoid talking about things that have been game-clubbed to death, but Shadow of the Colossus is an unabashed masterpiece. We don’t want to give to much away, but here’s a hint: you kill a bunch of huge monsters in this understated yet grandiose experimental classic.
LINKS OF NOTE:
Latchkey Kingdom: Titan: latchkeykingdom.smackjeeves.com/chapters/…19/titan/
Brothers: www.youtube.com/watch?v=uPcPDFSLC2M
Reign Over Me: www.youtube.com/watch?v=sRiqz_WnYxc
SotC Lore Channel: www.youtube.com/channel/UCAjQBpaBBpoW4Iaqami2A
Muzzy: www.youtube.com/watch?v=6WYxLDC5g0E
Equus: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Equus_(play)
Corey: www.youtube.com/watch?v=XwqIw9YFXmE
Elizabeth Bathory: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elizabeth_B…thory#Accusation
Look at this: 28.media.tumblr.com/tumblrl6l9ubNB…d39nmo1400.jpg
Now look at this: www.popcornmonster.com/wp-content/up…y_knowles.jpg
LobosJR SotC Speedrun: www.youtube.com/watch?v=CdP7Q1oB_fQ
THANKS TO OUR SPONSOR:
- Latchkey Kingdom: latchkeykingdom.com/
Gary Butterfield and Kole Ross surmount a discussion about Shadow of the Colossus.

We generally like to avoid talking about things that have been game-clubbed to death, but Shadow of the Colossus is an unabashed masterpiece. We don’t want to give to much away, but here’s a hint: you kill a bunch of huge monsters in this understated yet grandiose experimental classic.

]]>
Gary Butterfield and Kole Ross surmount a discussion about Shadow of the Colossus.

We generally like to avoid talking about things that have been game-clubbed to death, but Shadow of the Colossus is an unabashed masterpiece. We don’t want to give to much away, but here’s a hint: you kill a bunch of huge monsters in this understated yet grandiose experimental classic.

LINKS OF NOTE:

]]>
Episode 71: Hardwarehttps://www.watchoutforfireballs.com/71
tag:soundcloud,2010:tracks/160584601Wed, 16 Apr 2014 20:00:00 -0400Duckfeed.tvfullDuckfeed.tvGary Butterfield and Kole Ross drop some science in a survey course about video game hardware.
2:52:39yesGary Butterfield and Kole Ross drop some science in a survey course about video game hardware.
Rounding out our roster of Kickstarter special episodes, this one is a whirlwind tour of the boxes and dinguses that make video games work. Side A is systems and controllers, while Side B is weird accessories.
LINKS OF NOTE:
Prime and Hardcase, etc: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ultraverse
Family Truckster: www.youtube.com/watch?v=pTaTitRENDM
AVGN on Old Systems: www.youtube.com/watch?v=tl2Wz1qlzco
Moraff: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Moraff
Sega Channel Mega Man: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MegaMan:TheWilyWars
Portopia: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ThePortopi…rialMurder_Case
Smash Hit: www.youtube.com/watch?v=qtkpLDnMzF8
ASMR: www.youtube.com/watch?v=RVpfHgC3ye0
Sega Nights Controller: www.youtube.com/watch?v=PThsbn1bCFU
Inside a Gamecube: www.youtube.com/watch?v=exfS2beDP08
Nintendo Thumb: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nintendo_thumb
Child of Eden: www.youtube.com/watch?v=xuYWLYjOa_0
Silver and Gold: www.youtube.com/watch?v=K2WNs1FAPeA
Gary Butterfield and Kole Ross drop some science in a survey course about video game hardware.

Rounding out our roster of Kickstarter special episodes, this one is a whirlwind tour of the boxes and dinguses that make video games work. Side A is systems and controllers, while Side B is weird accessories.

]]>
Gary Butterfield and Kole Ross drop some science in a survey course about video game hardware.

Rounding out our roster of Kickstarter special episodes, this one is a whirlwind tour of the boxes and dinguses that make video games work. Side A is systems and controllers, while Side B is weird accessories.

]]>
Episode 70: Blade Runnerhttps://www.watchoutforfireballs.com/70
tag:soundcloud,2010:tracks/160571060Wed, 02 Apr 2014 20:00:00 -0400Duckfeed.tvfullDuckfeed.tvGary Butterfield and Kole Ross eye Blade Runner. It would be hard to find a movie that’s had more influence on video games than Blade Runner.
2:25:40yesGary Butterfield and Kole Ross eye Blade Runner.
It would be hard to find a movie that’s had more influence on video games than Blade Runner. So what happens when you make a video game in that world? You get something pretty neat.
LINKS OF NOTE:
Live Porn Feed: boston.barstoolsports.com/random-thoug…fascinating/
Radiant AI: www.youtube.com/watch?v=MVAYY5LHhv4
Gemini Rue: www.youtube.com/watch?v=foZp9ToBewA
Jeff Garlin: www.youtube.com/watch?v=jHJGm5svzsQ
Previous Bladerunner Game. Ignore the voice: www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLbjNLtoKlo
In Time: www.youtube.com/watch?v=fdadZ_KrZVw
Vanishing Twin Syndrome: www.youtube.com/watch?v=ICyS5m8bAl8
Way of the Samurai: www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZW7REHPV_EU
Buffalo Soldiers: www.youtube.com/watch?v=WbcxZM32ZrQ
Print Out of Oyster Smiling: www.youtube.com/watch?v=qMh284hg_fE
Deadwood: www.youtube.com/watch?v=YI-M6fYsCak
Newhart: www.youtube.com/watch?v=ycNfdLhC4…L2AF155372EFE8DA0
Ham’b: www.youtube.com/watch?v=6htQAxTNF0g
Apt Pupil: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apt_Pupil
The Last Guardian: www.youtube.com/watch?v=EHzHoMT5eRg
Gary Butterfield and Kole Ross eye Blade Runner.
It would be hard to find a movie that’s had more influence on video games than Blade Runner. So what happens when you make a video game in that world? You get something pretty neat.

]]>
Gary Butterfield and Kole Ross eye Blade Runner.
It would be hard to find a movie that’s had more influence on video games than Blade Runner. So what happens when you make a video game in that world? You get something pretty neat.

Continuing the WOLF (Watch Out for Lens Flare!) Initiative, we address the quirkiest survival horror game of the past decade. Francis York Morgan is an FBI agent who specializes in investigating the murders of young women. Oh, and red seeds. It gets much weirder from there.

Continuing the WOLF (Watch Out for Lens Flare!) Initiative, we address the quirkiest survival horror game of the past decade. Francis York Morgan is an FBI agent who specializes in investigating the murders of young women. Oh, and red seeds. It gets much weirder from there.

THANKS TO OUR SPONSOR:

Latchkey Kingdom: latchkeykingdom.com/

]]>
Episode 68: The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Pasthttps://www.watchoutforfireballs.com/68
tag:soundcloud,2010:tracks/160568636Wed, 05 Mar 2014 19:00:00 -0500Duckfeed.tvfullDuckfeed.tvGary Butterfield, Kole Ross, and Brad Carey tell you what you already know about The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past.
2:22:54yesGary Butterfield, Kole Ross, and Brad Carey tell you what you already know about The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past.
What’s left to say about A Link to the Past? Seriously, this is the Zelda that you know and love… and the Zelda that got you to love Zelda. We want to extend a heartfelt thanks to Brad for being a generous Kickstarter backer and an awesome guest.
LINKS OF NOTE:
Ghost of Misery Mire: www.youtube.com/watch?v=rpWa_-LAV70
Link Between Worlds: www.youtube.com/watch?v=O_auhDR8VjU
Turtle Treasures: www.somethingawful.com/news/hidden-gems-weekend/
Satellaview Zelda: www.youtube.com/watch?v=rPck5S5qZqs
Dorf: www.youtube.com/watch?v=zd1P7gXcGT0
Also Dorff: www.youtube.com/watch?v=taqnAzd1fyg
Puck: berserk.wikia.com/wiki/Puck
Eatin’ Bird: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ortolan_Bunting
Ice T Paul F Tompkins Thing. Starts around 4 minutes: www.youtube.com/watch?v=fYVQUQo0Lds
THANKS TO OUR SPONSOR:
Latchkey Kingdom: latchkeykingdom.com/
Gary Butterfield, Kole Ross, and Brad Carey tell you what you already know about The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past.

What’s left to say about A Link to the Past? Seriously, this is the Zelda that you know and love… and the Zelda that got you to love Zelda. We want to extend a heartfelt thanks to Brad for being a generous Kickstarter backer and an awesome guest.

THANKS TO OUR SPONSOR:

Latchkey Kingdom: latchkeykingdom.com/

]]>
Gary Butterfield, Kole Ross, and Brad Carey tell you what you already know about The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past.

What’s left to say about A Link to the Past? Seriously, this is the Zelda that you know and love… and the Zelda that got you to love Zelda. We want to extend a heartfelt thanks to Brad for being a generous Kickstarter backer and an awesome guest.

Continuing our Winter of Strategy, we now turn our attention to the 4X genre by tackling the king of the genre. Brayton requested MoO2 for the show, and it quickly became clear why. Despite the fact that it came out 18 years ago, it’s completely and utterly engrossing and its systems hold up to this day. Thanks, Brayton.

Continuing our Winter of Strategy, we now turn our attention to the 4X genre by tackling the king of the genre. Brayton requested MoO2 for the show, and it quickly became clear why. Despite the fact that it came out 18 years ago, it’s completely and utterly engrossing and its systems hold up to this day. Thanks, Brayton.

In another one of our split EP episdes, we explore a foundational on-rails shooter, and an experimental on-rails shooter. Star Fox for the SNES will alway stick out in people’s minds as the game that introduced them to the term “polygons”. Pokémon Snap will always stick out in people’s minds as that really short game about making Pikachu surf. Let’s explore those preconceptions together, why don’t we?

In another one of our split EP episdes, we explore a foundational on-rails shooter, and an experimental on-rails shooter. Star Fox for the SNES will alway stick out in people’s minds as the game that introduced them to the term “polygons”. Pokémon Snap will always stick out in people’s minds as that really short game about making Pikachu surf. Let’s explore those preconceptions together, why don’t we?

]]>
Special Presentation: Dungeons and Dragons Play Sessionhttps://www.watchoutforfireballs.com/65e
tag:soundcloud,2010:tracks/160558197Wed, 29 Jan 2014 19:00:00 -0500Duckfeed.tvfullDuckfeed.tvGary Butterfield and Kole Ross are joined by Levi, Nick, Ben, and Courtney for a very special live play session of Dungeons & Dragons.
3:28:26yesGary Butterfield and Kole Ross are joined by Levi, Nick, Ben, and Courtney for a very special live play session of Dungeons &amp; Dragons.
We've been talking about it for a while, and here it finally is. Thanks to your Kickstarter donations, it was possible for us to record a live play session of Pathfinder, a Dungeons &amp; Dragons style tabletop roleplaying game. The audio quality on this will sound a little different than our usual episodes, and it's not as thoroughly edited, but we wanted to give you the full experience of the play session.
Gary Butterfield and Kole Ross are joined by Levi, Nick, Ben, and Courtney for a very special live play session of Dungeons & Dragons.

We've been talking about it for a while, and here it finally is. Thanks to your Kickstarter donations, it was possible for us to record a live play session of Pathfinder, a Dungeons & Dragons style tabletop roleplaying game. The audio quality on this will sound a little different than our usual episodes, and it's not as thoroughly edited, but we wanted to give you the full experience of the play session.

]]>
Gary Butterfield and Kole Ross are joined by Levi, Nick, Ben, and Courtney for a very special live play session of Dungeons & Dragons.

We've been talking about it for a while, and here it finally is. Thanks to your Kickstarter donations, it was possible for us to record a live play session of Pathfinder, a Dungeons & Dragons style tabletop roleplaying game. The audio quality on this will sound a little different than our usual episodes, and it's not as thoroughly edited, but we wanted to give you the full experience of the play session.

]]>
Episode 65: Dungeons and Dragonshttps://www.watchoutforfireballs.com/65
tag:soundcloud,2010:tracks/160557849Wed, 22 Jan 2014 19:00:00 -0500Duckfeed.tvfullDuckfeed.tvGary Butterfield and Kole Ross put pen to paper (in an audio sense) to talk about Dungeons & Dragons and its legacy in this very special episode.
2:28:34yesGary Butterfield and Kole Ross put pen to paper (in an audio sense) to talk about Dungeons &amp; Dragons and its legacy in this very special episode.
If you’ve ever played a game where a number was assigned to a character, you have D&amp;D to thank for that. This is a very special episode made possible by our wonderful Kickstarter backers. For the first half, we talk about the history of Dungeons and Dragons. In the second half, we talk about D&amp;D’s impact on video games, and take a brief tour of games based on it.
LINKS OF NOTE:
Nerd Poker: www.earwolf.com/show/nerd-poker/
Stan Lee vs Jack Kirby: www.oregonlive.com/news/oregonian/…theusual.html
Mazes and Monsters: www.youtube.com/watch?v=jkb5v62U7EI
DnD Controversy: www.youtube.com/watch?v=E5jvj9pesMQ
SaveSurge: savesurge.org/
Dumb book that started all this nonsense: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TheDungeonMaster
Dark Dungeons: www.chick.com/reading/tracts/0046/0046_01.ASP
Dead Alewives DnD Part 1: www.youtube.com/watch?v=vChEPj0dXXk
Part 2: www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Kgx2b1sIRs
Rick and Morty: www.youtube.com/watch?v=_0dWkeOfTPA
Diplomacy: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diplomacy_(game)
Don’t Steal This Book: www.dandwiki.com/wiki/BookofErotic_Fantasy
Shivering Isles: www.youtube.com/watch?v=fuIe5ZSx5iU
30 Years of Adventure: www.amazon.com/30-Years-Adventur…ons/dp/0786934980
B.A.D.D. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patricia_Pulling
The Edge: www.youtube.com/watch?v=GQZDxh5Im6E
Nice Shot! www.youtube.com/watch?v=o9mJ82x_l-E
First Quest: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Quest
Gary Butterfield and Kole Ross put pen to paper (in an audio sense) to talk about Dungeons & Dragons and its legacy in this very special episode.

If you’ve ever played a game where a number was assigned to a character, you have D&D to thank for that. This is a very special episode made possible by our wonderful Kickstarter backers. For the first half, we talk about the history of Dungeons and Dragons. In the second half, we talk about D&D’s impact on video games, and take a brief tour of games based on it.

]]>
Gary Butterfield and Kole Ross put pen to paper (in an audio sense) to talk about Dungeons & Dragons and its legacy in this very special episode.

If you’ve ever played a game where a number was assigned to a character, you have D&D to thank for that. This is a very special episode made possible by our wonderful Kickstarter backers. For the first half, we talk about the history of Dungeons and Dragons. In the second half, we talk about D&D’s impact on video games, and take a brief tour of games based on it.

]]>
Episode 64: Heroes of Might and Magic IIIhttps://www.watchoutforfireballs.com/64
tag:soundcloud,2010:tracks/160555895Wed, 08 Jan 2014 19:00:00 -0500Duckfeed.tvfullDuckfeed.tvGary Butterfield, Kole Ross, and Brian skirmish with Heroes of Might and Magic III.
1:49:44yesGary Butterfield, Kole Ross, and Brian skirmish with Heroes of Might and Magic III.
PC strategy games have been something of a blind spot for us, but Heroes III is the perfect entry point. People really love this game, and we can tell why. The different Town types make up for the kind of nonsense story (which I will not outline here).
Special thanks to our guest, Kickstarter backer Brian, for offering his insight on the game.
LINKS OF NOTE:
Conan: www.youtube.com/watch?v=6PQ6335puOc
Genesis Might and Magic: www.youtube.com/watch?v=4tZhMOa4ocU
1st of Tha Month: www.youtube.com/watch?v=4j_cOsgRY7w
Ghost Pepper: www.youtube.com/watch?v=7gsTxx2SuVk
Shitty Beatles: www.youtube.com/watch?v=mPIpeW581rE
Heaven Better Save Some Tears: www.avclub.com/review/mr-show-wi…e-natures-o-45034
Castle Greyskull: www.youtube.com/watch?v=YNojdoyAR4g
In the Wake of Gods: mightandmagic.wikia.com/wiki/Heroeso…WakeofGods
Clash of Heroes: Might and Magic: www.youtube.com/watch?v=C-JWBMifhXk
Gary Butterfield, Kole Ross, and Brian skirmish with Heroes of Might and Magic III.

PC strategy games have been something of a blind spot for us, but Heroes III is the perfect entry point. People really love this game, and we can tell why. The different Town types make up for the kind of nonsense story (which I will not outline here).
Special thanks to our guest, Kickstarter backer Brian, for offering his insight on the game.

PC strategy games have been something of a blind spot for us, but Heroes III is the perfect entry point. People really love this game, and we can tell why. The different Town types make up for the kind of nonsense story (which I will not outline here).
Special thanks to our guest, Kickstarter backer Brian, for offering his insight on the game.

LINKS OF NOTE:

]]>
Episode 63: Dishonoredhttps://www.watchoutforfireballs.com/63
tag:soundcloud,2010:tracks/160554746Wed, 25 Dec 2013 19:00:00 -0500Duckfeed.tvfullDuckfeed.tvGary Butterfield and Kole Ross hunch over and gruffle a can of Dishonored.
2:23:25yesGary Butterfield and Kole Ross hunch over and gruffle a can of Dishonored.
Games aren’t very good at depicting nuanced ethics. Is it better to kill someone for revenge, or sentence them to a lifelong fate worse than death? That’s what we go through with Corvo, the disgraced royal bodyguard who has been framed for the Empress’s murder. Spoiler: we really love this game. This is part of our series on new games called Watch Out for Lens Flare!
LINKS OF NOTE:
Star Trek 4: www.youtube.com/watch?v=LkqiDu1BQXY
Mike Mignola: www.artofmikemignola.com/
Xanth: www.avclub.com/article/revisitin…y-of-xanth-104382
Exquisite Corpse: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exquisite_corpse
Exquisite Dead Guy: www.youtube.com/watch?v=mKGjK8bMkzg
The Sorrow: www.youtube.com/watch?v=RbxbP9FPEBQ
Kiss from a Rose: www.youtube.com/watch?v=ateQQc-AgEM
Ben: www.youtube.com/watch?v=YTKNahASSDI
Brad Dourif: www.youtube.com/watch?v=oMAl2fCYgCQ
Milkman Conspiracy: www.youtube.com/watch?v=ptC4iD_n8vA
Switching Drinks: www.youtube.com/results?search_qu…ttle+of+wits&amp;sm=1
Thief Hammerites: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z9MrYwmVCek
Isaac Newton’s Occult Obsession: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isaac_Newton
Room 101: www.youtube.com/watch?v=M3U83QLoATU
Dishonored PAX event: www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Xy-Efg57fI
Masque of the Red Death: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TheMasqueoftheRed_Death
Dishonored: www.youtube.com/watch?v=vRrM3RI0a4I
Radiolab: Loops: www.radiolab.org/story/161744-loops/
Wrestlenauts: www.retronauts.com/?p=478
Tales from Dunwall: www.youtube.com/watch?v=N_mp4yJtp14
Gary Butterfield and Kole Ross hunch over and gruffle a can of Dishonored.

Games aren’t very good at depicting nuanced ethics. Is it better to kill someone for revenge, or sentence them to a lifelong fate worse than death? That’s what we go through with Corvo, the disgraced royal bodyguard who has been framed for the Empress’s murder. Spoiler: we really love this game. This is part of our series on new games called Watch Out for Lens Flare!

]]>
Gary Butterfield and Kole Ross hunch over and gruffle a can of Dishonored.

Games aren’t very good at depicting nuanced ethics. Is it better to kill someone for revenge, or sentence them to a lifelong fate worse than death? That’s what we go through with Corvo, the disgraced royal bodyguard who has been framed for the Empress’s murder. Spoiler: we really love this game. This is part of our series on new games called Watch Out for Lens Flare!

Can you trust your eyes? Will all of these moments be lost like tears in rain? How far can you stretch the line between homage and plagiarism before it straight up snaps? Gillian Seed and his plucky little robot buddy Metal Gear are on the streets of New Kobe, seeking out humanoid robots that are killing VIPs and taking over all of society. Time to die.

Can you trust your eyes? Will all of these moments be lost like tears in rain? How far can you stretch the line between homage and plagiarism before it straight up snaps? Gillian Seed and his plucky little robot buddy Metal Gear are on the streets of New Kobe, seeking out humanoid robots that are killing VIPs and taking over all of society. Time to die.

]]>
Extrasode: Fallout 2 (Part 2) - Feat. Chris Avellonehttps://www.watchoutforfireballs.com/61e
tag:soundcloud,2010:tracks/160552502Wed, 04 Dec 2013 19:00:00 -0500Duckfeed.tvfullDuckfeed.tvGary and Kole are joined by Chris Avellone to talk about the creation of Fallout 2. We also read your letters about the game.
1:30:44yesGary and Kole are joined by Chris Avellone to talk about the creation of Fallout 2. We also read your letters about the game.
Gary and Kole are joined by Chris Avellone to talk about the creation of Fallout 2. We also read your letters about the game.]]>
Gary and Kole are joined by Chris Avellone to talk about the creation of Fallout 2. We also read your letters about the game.]]>
Episode 61: Fallout 2 (Part 2)https://www.watchoutforfireballs.com/61
tag:soundcloud,2010:tracks/160551192Wed, 27 Nov 2013 19:00:00 -0500Duckfeed.tvfullDuckfeed.tvGary Butterfield and Kole Ross radiate praise for the last half of Fallout 2.
2:42:20yesGary Butterfield and Kole Ross radiate praise for the last half of Fallout 2.
Continuing our search for the GECK, we run across crime lords, run down mining towns, and a conspiracy to kill all people on earth. Worst of all? Hubologists.
LINKS OF NOTE:
Bobby Fischer: www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archiv…endgame/302634/
Battletoads: www.youtube.com/watch?v=GlRMunEPAYg
Miss Kitty: www.youtube.com/watch?v=-QhBI5uUoTc
Blues Brothers: www.youtube.com/watch?v=RdR6MN2jKYs
Jenkem: www.youtube.com/watch?v=2UsNbsjpuLc
Cow Magnet: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cow_magnet
Abby Normal: www.youtube.com/watch?v=yH97lImrr0Q
Ghost Dog: www.youtube.com/watch?v=iFMY4jJ6SVE
The Ringer: www.youtube.com/watch?v=1MxRpOnqFNI
Gelnika: www.youtube.com/watch?v=M7g0sNf4I
Sgt Rock: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sgt._Rock
Gary Butterfield and Kole Ross radiate praise for the last half of Fallout 2.

Continuing our search for the GECK, we run across crime lords, run down mining towns, and a conspiracy to kill all people on earth. Worst of all? Hubologists.

]]>
Extrasode: Fallout 2 (Part 1)https://www.watchoutforfireballs.com/60e
tag:soundcloud,2010:tracks/160549738Wed, 20 Nov 2013 19:00:00 -0500Duckfeed.tvfullDuckfeed.tvKole and Gary read your responses about the first part of Fallout 2.
41:19yesKole and Gary read your responses about the first part of Fallout 2.
LINKS OF NOTE:
Quit! (5by5.tv/quit)
Kole and Gary read your responses about the first part of Fallout 2.

LINKS OF NOTE:

[Quit!](5by5.tv/quit)

]]>
Kole and Gary read your responses about the first part of Fallout 2.

LINKS OF NOTE:

[Quit!](5by5.tv/quit)

]]>
Episode 60: Fallout 2 (Part 1)https://www.watchoutforfireballs.com/60
tag:soundcloud,2010:tracks/160549005Wed, 13 Nov 2013 19:00:00 -0500Duckfeed.tvfullDuckfeed.tvGary Butterfield and Kole Ross choose to talk about the first part of Fallout 2.
2:08:05yesGary Butterfield and Kole Ross choose to talk about the first part of Fallout 2.
Not only are you the descendant of the person who saved humanity from utter destruction, but you’re also called “The Chosen One”. Pressure much? The Garden of Eden may be a biblical allegory, but it never feels less real than when you’re searching for it in a blasted nuclear hellscape. Nevermind all of the slavery, drugs, debauchery, murder, abominations… and whatnot.
LINKS OF NOTE:
Game where you control a runner…: www.foddy.net/Athletics.html
Restoration Project: www.nma-fallout.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=63996
RE 1.5 Playable: www.youtube.com/watch?v=gAEJ6Msw0fg
Van Buren: www.youtube.com/watch?v=cqfMfYnILE4
Coming to America: www.youtube.com/watch?v=IAztPZBQrrU
Kingpin: www.youtube.com/watch?v=6wa2v8707Kw
Mose: www.youtube.com/watch?v=k1uMENKhtAo
Cargo Cults: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cargo_cult
People Selling People to People: www.youtube.com/watch?v=E1yoK4-dv18
Ninjas Vs Podcast: www.erictoribio.com/nvppodcast/
Hannibal: www.youtube.com/watch?v=2sYqStl4rQY
MODOK: www.youtube.com/watch?v=OiIihuMtnA4
Don’t Stick Your Dick in these Holes: www.youtube.com/watch?v=NvHIynAxtrE
Troy Mcclure: www.youtube.com/watch?v=cYNZ1PMdO1M
Pinky and the Brain: www.youtube.com/watch?v=iJPFSNu_QNs
Hey Sandy: www.youtube.com/watch?v=WY_3uxzkoV4
Hubologists are Evil: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeremy_Blake
Gary Butterfield and Kole Ross choose to talk about the first part of Fallout 2.

Not only are you the descendant of the person who saved humanity from utter destruction, but you’re also called “The Chosen One”. Pressure much? The Garden of Eden may be a biblical allegory, but it never feels less real than when you’re searching for it in a blasted nuclear hellscape. Nevermind all of the slavery, drugs, debauchery, murder, abominations… and whatnot.

]]>
Gary Butterfield and Kole Ross choose to talk about the first part of Fallout 2.

Not only are you the descendant of the person who saved humanity from utter destruction, but you’re also called “The Chosen One”. Pressure much? The Garden of Eden may be a biblical allegory, but it never feels less real than when you’re searching for it in a blasted nuclear hellscape. Nevermind all of the slavery, drugs, debauchery, murder, abominations… and whatnot.

LINKS OF NOTE:

LINKS OF NOTE:

Skype Ads: community.skype.com/t5/Windows-desk…733807#U1733807

]]>
Episode 59: Eternal Darkness: Sanity's Requiemhttps://www.watchoutforfireballs.com/59
tag:soundcloud,2010:tracks/160544574Wed, 30 Oct 2013 20:00:00 -0400Duckfeed.tvfullDuckfeed.tvGary Butterfield and Kole Ross lose their shit while talking about Eternal Darkness.
2:24:35yesGary Butterfield and Kole Ross lose their shit while talking about Eternal Darkness.
Where is my mind? In this very spooky episode of our show, we talk about one of the best survival horror games out there. The Roivas family, along with a cast of characters plucked from everywhere in the timeline of history, must stop the encroaching tide of darkness, led by the demonic Pious Augustus. Eternal Darkness revels in playing mind games with you, and we’re all the better for it.
LINKS OF NOTE:
Shub Niggurath: www.yog-sothoth.com/wiki/index.php/Shub-Niggurath
Shoggoth: www.youtube.com/watch?v=T3YAdWKeHQc
The Master: www.youtube.com/watch?v=6-UUTGamYp8
Squeaky Voiced Teen: www.youtube.com/watch?v=kuaZbcAgyeo
Buster’s Chair: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OutonaLi…tedDevelopment)
Roundabout: www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Tdu4uKSZ3M
Hastur: www.yog-sothoth.com/wiki/index.php/Hastur
Sanity Effects: www.youtube.com/watch?v=RSXcajQnasc
Gary Butterfield and Kole Ross lose their shit while talking about Eternal Darkness.

Where is my mind? In this very spooky episode of our show, we talk about one of the best survival horror games out there. The Roivas family, along with a cast of characters plucked from everywhere in the timeline of history, must stop the encroaching tide of darkness, led by the demonic Pious Augustus. Eternal Darkness revels in playing mind games with you, and we’re all the better for it.

Where is my mind? In this very spooky episode of our show, we talk about one of the best survival horror games out there. The Roivas family, along with a cast of characters plucked from everywhere in the timeline of history, must stop the encroaching tide of darkness, led by the demonic Pious Augustus. Eternal Darkness revels in playing mind games with you, and we’re all the better for it.

]]>
Episode 58: Fun Centershttps://www.watchoutforfireballs.com/58
tag:soundcloud,2010:tracks/160543331Wed, 23 Oct 2013 20:00:00 -0400Duckfeed.tvfullDuckfeed.tvGary Butterfield and Kole Ross roll their experiences with fun centers up a gentle slope and into a small hole, rewarding them with points and (hopefully) tickets.
1:50:19yesGary Butterfield and Kole Ross roll their experiences with fun centers up a gentle slope and into a small hole, rewarding them with points and (hopefully) tickets.
Two grown-ass men return to conquer the Valhalla of their youth. Mini Golf. Go Karts. Batting Cages. Ticket Games. In lieu of blood, our reward was tickets. Our hero’s feast was chicken fingers in front of a robot. It was a good day.
LINKS OF NOTE:
Amazing Pizza Machine: www.amazingpizzamachine.com/
Showbiz Pizza: www.youtube.com/watch?v=QHXuf-xH6vQ
Chuck E. Cheese: www.youtube.com/watch?v=2nfXTfXi6HA
Busby Berkeley: www.youtube.com/watch?v=kIO9y1xMPIA
King of the Hill Paintball: kingofthehill.wikia.com/wiki/TheMan…e_Skretteburg
Minecraft Style: www.youtube.com/watch?v=b84Z3IRg3VA
Mighty Mini Dino: www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBk-z10VQRQ
Gold Case: www.youtube.com/watch?v=zKMDl9P3goI
Let’s Go Jungle: www.youtube.com/watch?v=6J5KoBznlSw
Split Second: www.youtube.com/watch?v=C1Vkc86jI80
Gary Butterfield and Kole Ross roll their experiences with fun centers up a gentle slope and into a small hole, rewarding them with points and (hopefully) tickets.

Two grown-ass men return to conquer the Valhalla of their youth. Mini Golf. Go Karts. Batting Cages. Ticket Games. In lieu of blood, our reward was tickets. Our hero’s feast was chicken fingers in front of a robot. It was a good day.

]]>
Gary Butterfield and Kole Ross roll their experiences with fun centers up a gentle slope and into a small hole, rewarding them with points and (hopefully) tickets.

Two grown-ass men return to conquer the Valhalla of their youth. Mini Golf. Go Karts. Batting Cages. Ticket Games. In lieu of blood, our reward was tickets. Our hero’s feast was chicken fingers in front of a robot. It was a good day.

Somewhere under the sea, all hell has broken loose. In this first episode of our “Watch Out for Lens Flare!” series, we explore one of the most beloved games of this generation. A choice-based first-person shooter obscures a brilliant survival horror game, with some of the best political commentary and indirect storytelling ever found in a game.

Somewhere under the sea, all hell has broken loose. In this first episode of our “Watch Out for Lens Flare!” series, we explore one of the most beloved games of this generation. A choice-based first-person shooter obscures a brilliant survival horror game, with some of the best political commentary and indirect storytelling ever found in a game.

We’re rectifying a pretty big blind spot in our Nintendo pantheon here by addressing Kirby Super Star. Usually this text expounds on a pithy overview of a game’s plot and premise. How do you do that when you’re playing a literal Fun Pak of games? You suck it up and do a whole episode, that’s how.

A very special thanks goes out to Sam Anderson, who backed our Kickstarter, for both suggesting this delightful game and guest-hosting with us.

We’re rectifying a pretty big blind spot in our Nintendo pantheon here by addressing Kirby Super Star. Usually this text expounds on a pithy overview of a game’s plot and premise. How do you do that when you’re playing a literal Fun Pak of games? You suck it up and do a whole episode, that’s how.

A very special thanks goes out to Sam Anderson, who backed our Kickstarter, for both suggesting this delightful game and guest-hosting with us.

]]>
Episode 55: Monkey Island 2: LeChuck's Revengehttps://www.watchoutforfireballs.com/55
tag:soundcloud,2010:tracks/160539463Wed, 11 Sep 2013 20:00:00 -0400Duckfeed.tvfullDuckfeed.tvGary Butterfield and Kole Ross determine how dry dem bones actually are in Monkey Island 2: LeChuck's Revenge.
2:14:22yesGary Butterfield and Kole Ross determine how dry dem bones actually are in Monkey Island 2: LeChuck's Revenge.
If Guybrush is so hapless... then what does it say about LeChuck? I mean, dread pirate keeps getting all defeated and shit. No matter how big the adventure gets, LeChuck doesn't stand much of a chance. Come along with us on a monacle-stealing caper that will bury you alive.
Be sure to stay tuned for next week, when we interview Ron Gilbert about Monkey Island 2. It's bound to be a good time.
Sketch Music Credit: "Monkey Brain Soup for the Soul" by Trapezzoid (ocremix.org/remix/OCR00799/) on OCREMIX.org
LINKS OF NOTE:
imuse (www.youtube.com/watch?v=7N41TEcjcvM)
Prince of Persia: No, that's not how it happened (www.youtube.com/watch?v=5UfV54fJbYE)
The Super (www.youtube.com/watch?v=RNG-xrnaSE4)
Collyer Brothers (www.youtube.com/watch?v=EfDd_dgGAhY)
Cask of Amontillado (www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pu1yRoH8gTo)
Kill Bill 2 (www.youtube.com/watch?v=pohqGgEZf-s)
Anton Chigurh (www.youtube.com/watch?v=OLCL6OYbSTw)
Garbage Pail Kids (www.youtube.com/watch?v=0lXmuXVGidY)
Twin Peaks (www.youtube.com/watch?v=5PcoMrwEa5o)
The Fall (www.youtube.com/watch?v=nuJEMMfSFI8)
Gary Butterfield and Kole Ross determine how dry dem bones actually are in Monkey Island 2: LeChuck's Revenge.

If Guybrush is so hapless... then what does it say about LeChuck? I mean, dread pirate keeps getting all defeated and shit. No matter how big the adventure gets, LeChuck doesn't stand much of a chance. Come along with us on a monacle-stealing caper that will bury you alive.

Be sure to stay tuned for next week, when we interview Ron Gilbert about Monkey Island 2. It's bound to be a good time.

Sketch Music Credit: ["Monkey Brain Soup for the Soul" by Trapezzoid](ocremix.org/remix/OCR00799/) on OCREMIX.org

If Guybrush is so hapless... then what does it say about LeChuck? I mean, dread pirate keeps getting all defeated and shit. No matter how big the adventure gets, LeChuck doesn't stand much of a chance. Come along with us on a monacle-stealing caper that will bury you alive.

Be sure to stay tuned for next week, when we interview Ron Gilbert about Monkey Island 2. It's bound to be a good time.

Sketch Music Credit: ["Monkey Brain Soup for the Soul" by Trapezzoid](ocremix.org/remix/OCR00799/) on OCREMIX.org

]]>
Episode 54: Final Fantasy VII (Part 3)https://www.watchoutforfireballs.com/54
tag:soundcloud,2010:tracks/160533678Wed, 28 Aug 2013 20:00:00 -0400Duckfeed.tvfullDuckfeed.tvGary Butterfield and Kole Ross go supernova on the final third of Final Fantasy VII.
2:36:06yesGary Butterfield and Kole Ross go supernova on the final third of Final Fantasy VII.
Thus concludes our longest saga ever: Final Fantasy VII. We hope you enjoyed it, because we likely don’t have another one in us (at least for a year). Cloud is lost to the world, WEAPON is on the loose, and everyone is looking for answers (and themselves).
This episode covers everything from the Execution scene to the end of the game, including all of the side quests.
LINKS OF NOTE:
Sister Ray: www.youtube.com/watch?v=gDtqbS7DK2s
Looking for a Friend For the End of the World: www.youtube.com/watch?v=pW_OyiUgW88
Hitchhiker’s Guide: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rs3pKS0pvZE
Moon: www.youtube.com/watch?v=twuScTcDP_Q
Source Code: www.youtube.com/watch?v=NkTrG-gpIzE
Very Bad Things: www.youtube.com/watch?v=ObsivKt_XzA
Togepi: www.youtube.com/watch?v=N4WgX-jk57c
River of Slime: www.youtube.com/watch?v=0K1WZUfvE54
New X-men Psychic Rescue: marvel.wikia.com/NewX-MenVol1121
Bill Haley: www.youtube.com/watch?v=cG6n3Z7qwVs
Clone Saga: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clone_Saga
Shark Tunnels: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shark_tunnel
Portland Aquarium: www.facebook.com/BoycottPortlandAquarium
The Wire: www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Sgj78QG9Bg
Kaiju: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zcn3Mrzi2VE
Pets or Meat: www.youtube.com/watch?v=d3gvHWf7ldY
Desert Rose: www.youtube.com/watch?v=C3lWwBslWqg
Herbert West: Reanimator: www.hplovecraft.com/writings/texts/…iction/hwr.aspx
Radio Lab Shorts voice: www.radiolab.org/blogs/radiolab-b…ey-versus-death/
Gary Butterfield and Kole Ross go supernova on the final third of Final Fantasy VII.

Thus concludes our longest saga ever: Final Fantasy VII. We hope you enjoyed it, because we likely don’t have another one in us (at least for a year). Cloud is lost to the world, WEAPON is on the loose, and everyone is looking for answers (and themselves).
This episode covers everything from the Execution scene to the end of the game, including all of the side quests.

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Gary Butterfield and Kole Ross go supernova on the final third of Final Fantasy VII.

Thus concludes our longest saga ever: Final Fantasy VII. We hope you enjoyed it, because we likely don’t have another one in us (at least for a year). Cloud is lost to the world, WEAPON is on the loose, and everyone is looking for answers (and themselves).
This episode covers everything from the Execution scene to the end of the game, including all of the side quests.

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Episode 53: Final Fantasy VII (Part 2)https://www.watchoutforfireballs.com/53
tag:soundcloud,2010:tracks/160533190Wed, 21 Aug 2013 20:00:00 -0400Duckfeed.tvfullDuckfeed.tvGary Butterfield and Kole Ross plunge into their second episode about Final Fantasy VII.
2:26:29yesGary Butterfield and Kole Ross plunge into their second episode about Final Fantasy VII.
The chase continues as Sephiroth flees ever northward. As we follow him, we reveal more of his past… but mostly uncover more mysteries about What Exactly is Going On Here. Also, we spend a great deal of time talking about… you guessed it… Aeris’s death. Get your tissues ready, the waifu goes down.
The next episode will cover the rest of the game, and additional side content.
LINKS OF NOTE:
WordPerfect: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WordPerfect
Bugles: www.comedycentral.com/video-clips/a1…-date-with-god
Bugenhagen: th08.deviantart.net/fs71/200H/i/201…i22-d3c0pnd.jpg
Gi Natak: 24.media.tumblr.com/tumblrltn266kr…ae53ko1500.gif
Moby rips off Heroes: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qdb4NyHdFfE
Orange is the New Black: www.youtube.com/watch?v=nryWkAaWjKg
N’Sync: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eo-KmOd3i7s
North by Northwest: www.youtube.com/watch?v=g458w2X9uHc
Raping is another game of mine: www.youtube.com/watch?v=AKE9W0O8bX8
Waiting for Godot: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WaitingforGodot
Aqualung: www.youtube.com/watch?v=v43LNBDNBIk
Poltergeist: www.youtube.com/watch?v=41tO0xwSsco
GFW Radio: www.youtube.com/watch?v=j99g7Mx-tAc
Lavos: www.youtube.com/watch?v=m1cD_pV3MPc
I’m a Monster: www.youtube.com/watch?v=DCcLNMpD7uI
Spoilers for The Presige: www.youtube.com/watch?v=XHKan75x7GI
Ending of There Will Be Blood: www.youtube.com/watch?v=eqOru7imqvI
Gary Butterfield and Kole Ross plunge into their second episode about Final Fantasy VII.

The chase continues as Sephiroth flees ever northward. As we follow him, we reveal more of his past… but mostly uncover more mysteries about What Exactly is Going On Here. Also, we spend a great deal of time talking about… you guessed it… Aeris’s death. Get your tissues ready, the waifu goes down.
The next episode will cover the rest of the game, and additional side content.

]]>
Gary Butterfield and Kole Ross plunge into their second episode about Final Fantasy VII.

The chase continues as Sephiroth flees ever northward. As we follow him, we reveal more of his past… but mostly uncover more mysteries about What Exactly is Going On Here. Also, we spend a great deal of time talking about… you guessed it… Aeris’s death. Get your tissues ready, the waifu goes down.
The next episode will cover the rest of the game, and additional side content.

]]>
Episode 52: Final Fantasy VII (Part 1)https://www.watchoutforfireballs.com/52
tag:soundcloud,2010:tracks/160532926Wed, 14 Aug 2013 20:00:00 -0400Duckfeed.tvfullDuckfeed.tvGary Butterfield and Kole Ross take their discussion of the first part of Final Fantasy VII to the limit.
3:01:21yesGary Butterfield and Kole Ross take their discussion of the first part of Final Fantasy VII to the limit.
This is the beginning of a long saga. Not just for one of the most popular games ever, but for our discussion of it. Final Fantasy VII is kind of controversial, which is probably why we love it so goddamned much. We dedicate these three hours to talking about the first portion of the game in depth.
This begins our first three-part episode. This week’s show talks about everything up through Corel Prison. Episodes will come out weekly thereafter, culminating in an Extrasode to tie everything up.
LINKS OF NOTE:
Dolemite: www.youtube.com/watch?v=IkjExJqf34o
Can I borrow a feeling? www.youtube.com/watch?v=zo3vLSoXWw4
All you need is Smiles: www.youtube.com/watch?v=MeFeRh9qwZA
Rosebud: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q3hfQ2IOc8s
Advent Children: www.youtube.com/watch?v=pyP18j7y1FA
Alvina: www.youtube.com/watch?v=8oQv-oYbtkw
Pizza Panties: duckfeed.tv/pitch/12
Cowboy Dan: www.youtube.com/watch?v=xBjiYZiv5RE
Young Turks: www.youtube.com/watch?v=rgczlrYM4eI
Cho Aniki: www.youtube.com/watch?v=gF-gqOeio2I
Ether Binge: www.youtube.com/watch?v=P2pgWsYSyUA
Space Coyote: www.youtube.com/watch?v=bMR53zHrdzg
Daihatsu Truck: www.google.com/search?q=daihatsu…&amp;biw=1023&amp;bih=911
Riot at Xavier’s: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RiotatXavier
Red Eye: www.youtube.com/watch?v=GMMGg_idxqE
End of The Mist, ie: Spoilers for The Mist: www.youtube.com/watch?v=8SBxS1jPi-k
Gary Butterfield and Kole Ross take their discussion of the first part of Final Fantasy VII to the limit.

This is the beginning of a long saga. Not just for one of the most popular games ever, but for our discussion of it. Final Fantasy VII is kind of controversial, which is probably why we love it so goddamned much. We dedicate these three hours to talking about the first portion of the game in depth.

This begins our first three-part episode. This week’s show talks about everything up through Corel Prison. Episodes will come out weekly thereafter, culminating in an Extrasode to tie everything up.

]]>
Gary Butterfield and Kole Ross take their discussion of the first part of Final Fantasy VII to the limit.

This is the beginning of a long saga. Not just for one of the most popular games ever, but for our discussion of it. Final Fantasy VII is kind of controversial, which is probably why we love it so goddamned much. We dedicate these three hours to talking about the first portion of the game in depth.

This begins our first three-part episode. This week’s show talks about everything up through Corel Prison. Episodes will come out weekly thereafter, culminating in an Extrasode to tie everything up.

It’s the strongest opening in adventure game history: Lucas Kane has murdered a man in cold blood, and he has no idea why. The rest of the game is dedicated to unraveling this mystery… and the answer is disappointing.

It’s the strongest opening in adventure game history: Lucas Kane has murdered a man in cold blood, and he has no idea why. The rest of the game is dedicated to unraveling this mystery… and the answer is disappointing.

An ancient evil awakens, a hero rises from disgrace, and spooky skeletons roam Europe. We’re not sure what foul oversight caused us to wait 50 episodes to talk about a Castlevania game, but here we are. It’s good. Play it. But maybe use save states.

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Gary Butterfield and Kole Ross get cracking and talk about Castlevania III. Oh, and this is our 50th episode.

An ancient evil awakens, a hero rises from disgrace, and spooky skeletons roam Europe. We’re not sure what foul oversight caused us to wait 50 episodes to talk about a Castlevania game, but here we are. It’s good. Play it. But maybe use save states.

We don’t really have good luck with action RPGs. While Soul Blazer is plenty charming, it’s definitely an early, simplistic take on the genre. Deathtoll has captured all living things, and it’s up to you to save them… but heroism is pretty repetitive.

We don’t really have good luck with action RPGs. While Soul Blazer is plenty charming, it’s definitely an early, simplistic take on the genre. Deathtoll has captured all living things, and it’s up to you to save them… but heroism is pretty repetitive.

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Episode 48: Deus Ex (Part 2)https://www.watchoutforfireballs.com/48
tag:soundcloud,2010:tracks/160472268Wed, 12 Jun 2013 20:00:00 -0400Duckfeed.tvfullDuckfeed.tvGary Butterfield and Kole Ross touch base on the second half of Deus Ex.
2:22:27yesGary Butterfield and Kole Ross touch base on the second half of Deus Ex.
The search for the truth continues, as J.C. Denton defects from UNATCO in order to fight Majestic 12. On the way he will side with the Illuminati, discover “aliens”, and visit as many military bases as possible. The last leg of Deus Ex isn’t an unequivocal win, but it’s still a really great game.
LINKS OF NOTE:
Dummied out UNATCO Allegiance: www.youtube.com/watch?v=-cEg5Xo7V…U&amp;feature=related
Isaac from Love Boat: www.youtube.com/watch?v=60ZUghFQabs
I Sleep in a Drawer: simpsons.wikia.com/wiki/Kearney_Zzyzwicz
Barry Gibb: www.youtube.com/watch?v=6TcrNbrY4vY
Willy Wonka Wind Tunnel: www.youtube.com/watch?v=DQytqzQOR3Y
Wacky Shack: sharetv.org/shows/the_simpsons/episodes/350556
Les Enfant Terrible: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LesEnfantsTerribles
Liliput: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LilliputandBlefuscu
Morpheus Speech: www.youtube.com/watch?v=1b-bijO3uEw
Lucius Speech: www.youtube.com/watch?v=ydiPTmZmcvU
A Bomb: www.youtube.com/watch?v=tOKt1z1TkvU
Monster Closet: tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/MonsterCloset
Deus Ex Voice Acting: www.youtube.com/watch?v=kihGm4KfY7k
Fedora lords: www.google.com/search?um=1&amp;hl=en…URLAWTCl4#imgrc=_
Don’t Cross The Street In the Middle: www.youtube.com/watch?v=aFGeEhjA7Ss
Gary Butterfield and Kole Ross touch base on the second half of Deus Ex.

The search for the truth continues, as J.C. Denton defects from UNATCO in order to fight Majestic 12. On the way he will side with the Illuminati, discover “aliens”, and visit as many military bases as possible. The last leg of Deus Ex isn’t an unequivocal win, but it’s still a really great game.

]]>
Gary Butterfield and Kole Ross touch base on the second half of Deus Ex.

The search for the truth continues, as J.C. Denton defects from UNATCO in order to fight Majestic 12. On the way he will side with the Illuminati, discover “aliens”, and visit as many military bases as possible. The last leg of Deus Ex isn’t an unequivocal win, but it’s still a really great game.

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Episode 47: Deus Ex (Part 1)https://www.watchoutforfireballs.com/47
tag:soundcloud,2010:tracks/160471607Wed, 29 May 2013 20:00:00 -0400Duckfeed.tvfullDuckfeed.tvGary Butterfield and Kole Ross blow the lid off of the first half of Deus Ex. Everything you’ve heard is true.
2:14:29yesGary Butterfield and Kole Ross blow the lid off of the first half of Deus Ex.
Everything you’ve heard is true. The fluoride in your water is intended to keep you docile. Black Helicopters are tracking your grocery habits. And smoking will kill others. Deus Ex is a delightful and terrifying game, where your hero is on the spectrum and all the world is a playground.
It should be noted that this is a Part 1. This episode goes up until you first get to Hong Kong. We will cover everything after that in the next episode.
LINKS OF NOTE:
Deus Ex: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deus_ex
Deus Ex: Human Revolution: www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005HR…=stunthdottran-20
Roomba: www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005GK…=stunthdottran-20
You maniacs! www.youtube.com/watch?v=a5R_pS0h5Qk
The developer thought of everything: tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/…ThinksOfEverything
Laser Eyes: www.youtube.com/watch?v=cJHOtzXNq…tch?v=cJHOtzXNqIk
Longest Journey Rubber Duck: www.youtube.com/watch?v=phORsj3vuUc
Boris and Natasha: www.youtube.com/watch?v=hTzuO24i-YA
Supertaster: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Super_taster
Take a Thrill Pill: www.somethingawful.com/d/comedy-gold…ss.php?page=3
Paul’s Boutique: www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00000…=stunthdottran-20
Chemtrails: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chemtrails
Hollow Earth: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hollow_earth
Lizard People: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reptilians
Black Helicopters: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_helicopters
Majestic: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Majestic(videogame)
Code Runner: itunes.apple.com/us/app/coderunne…id463639902?mt=8
Sons of the Soil: simpsons.wikia.com/wiki/Treehouse…rrorVII/Quotes
Dorf on Golf: www.youtube.com/watch?v=pEig1D4sJdI
Norton’s Furniture: www.youtube.com/watch?v=4jubP3t27IQ
Marc Norton, Furniture Gremlin: www.somethingawful.com/d/news/marc-n…furniture.php
Orgone: curezone.com/forums/am.asp?i=1849401
Gary Butterfield and Kole Ross blow the lid off of the first half of Deus Ex.

Everything you’ve heard is true. The fluoride in your water is intended to keep you docile. Black Helicopters are tracking your grocery habits. And smoking will kill others. Deus Ex is a delightful and terrifying game, where your hero is on the spectrum and all the world is a playground.

It should be noted that this is a Part 1. This episode goes up until you first get to Hong Kong. We will cover everything after that in the next episode.

]]>
Gary Butterfield and Kole Ross blow the lid off of the first half of Deus Ex.

Everything you’ve heard is true. The fluoride in your water is intended to keep you docile. Black Helicopters are tracking your grocery habits. And smoking will kill others. Deus Ex is a delightful and terrifying game, where your hero is on the spectrum and all the world is a playground.

It should be noted that this is a Part 1. This episode goes up until you first get to Hong Kong. We will cover everything after that in the next episode.

]]>
Episode 46: Mario Golf / Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2https://www.watchoutforfireballs.com/46
tag:soundcloud,2010:tracks/160471147Wed, 15 May 2013 20:00:00 -0400Duckfeed.tvfullDuckfeed.tvGary Butterfield and Kole Ross chip into a kickflip to talk about both Mario Golf and Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 2.
1:47:25yesGary Butterfield and Kole Ross chip into a kickflip to talk about both Mario Golf and Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 2.
We were originally going to talk about Mario Golf 64, but it wasn’t robust enough. So, in a first for the show, we expanded our discussion to the entire series. Our conclusion is that it isn’t Mario enough, and it isn’t golf enough.
Boy do we hope you like music, because the Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater discussion is littered with it. There’s little to dislike about this awesome entry in a mostly bad series. Bring the noise.
LINKS OF NOTE:
Kickstarter: duckfeed.tv/kickstarter
Mario Golf 64: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mariogolf64
Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MarioGolfToadstool_Tour
Mario Golf: Advance Tour: en.wi